YAMAHA VIRAGO 535

535cc Petrol Class 2

#3854 of 5426 overall #266 of 409 YAMAHAs #2443 of 2787 other bikes

78.4%

first-time pass rate

12.9%

failed outright

18,254

median miles at test

745

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2023

The VIRAGO 535's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.6 points since 2006, 85.2% to 80.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VIRAGO 535's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VIRAGO 535 passes first time 87.4% of the time; by 30k that's 71.8%.

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 535

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	58	28	1.3×
steering and suspension	34	16.4	1.1×
brakes	29	14	0.8×
tyres and wheels	27	13	1.6×
lamps and reflectors	26	12.6	1.0×
reg plates and vin	8	3.9	1.6×
fuel and exhaust	7	3.4	1.1×
body and structure	7	3.4	1.4×
tyres	6	2.9	1.2×
suspension	5	2.4	0.9×

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 535 beats 2 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 535.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1993 (88.8% pass). Weakest: 1995 (72.9%).

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 535 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA VIRAGO 535 reliable?

The YAMAHA VIRAGO 535 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.4% of its 745 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3854 of 5426 models.

What does a VIRAGO 535 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed VIRAGO 535 tests.

What is the best year of VIRAGO 535 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (88.8%) and 1995 worst (72.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VIRAGO 535 last?

The median VIRAGO 535 shows 18,254 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 71.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.