YAMAHA VIRAGO

535cc Petrol Class 2

#2909 of 5426 overall #163 of 409 YAMAHAs #1836 of 2787 other bikes

83.2%

first-time pass rate

9.9%

failed outright

17,466

median miles at test

15.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The VIRAGO's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (85.1% → 84.3%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the VIRAGO's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VIRAGO passes first time 88.0% of the time; by 50k that's 77.5%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a VIRAGO

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	706	23	0.8×
steering and suspension	591	19.3	1.0×
brakes	510	16.6	0.6×
tyres and wheels	373	12.2	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	261	8.5	2.0×
lamps and reflectors	224	7.3	0.6×
reg plates and vin	112	3.7	1.0×
suspension	109	3.6	0.8×
structure and attachments	108	3.5	0.8×
tyres	70	2.3	0.6×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the VIRAGO beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the VIRAGO.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1982 (86.8% pass). Weakest: 2003 (72.6%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

YAMAHA VIRAGO FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA VIRAGO reliable?

The YAMAHA VIRAGO is about average for its class: 83.2% of its 15,315 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2909 of 5426 models.

What does a VIRAGO fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 23% of all defects recorded against failed VIRAGO tests.

What is the best year of VIRAGO to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (86.8%) and 2003 worst (72.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VIRAGO last?

The median VIRAGO shows 17,466 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.