BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ YAMAHA/VP300
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

YAMAHA VP300

264cc Petrol Class 2
#2868 of 5428 overall #161 of 409 YAMAHAs #1810 of 2788 other bikes
83.4%
first-time pass rate
10.0%
failed outright
11,086
median miles at test
808
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-2.7pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2017

The VP300's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.7 points since 2007, 85.2% to 80.5%.

74%83%92%2007: 85.2% pass (61 tests)2008: 83.8% pass (80 tests)2009: 85.3% pass (75 tests)2010: 85.5% pass (69 tests)2011: 79.5% pass (73 tests)2012: 76.5% pass (68 tests)2013: 83.0% pass (53 tests)2014: 88.5% pass (52 tests)2015: 85.4% pass (48 tests)2016: 79.5% pass (39 tests)2017: 80.5% pass (41 tests)20072017

Pass rate by mileage

how the VP300's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VP300 passes first time 89.1% of the time; by 30k that's 64.3%.

59%77%94%0k: 89.1% pass (350 tests)10k: 78.7% pass (286 tests)20k: 85.3% pass (109 tests)30k: 64.3% pass (42 tests)0k20k30k

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 VP300

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
54 40.9 1.3×
steering and suspension
21 15.9 0.7×
brakes
19 14.4 0.5×
tyres and wheels
17 12.9 0.9×
fuel and exhaust
6 4.5 1.0×
lamps and reflectors
6 4.5 0.3×
suspension
3 2.3 0.3×
reg plates and vin
2 1.5 0.4×
body and structure
2 1.5 0.5×
Items Not Tested
2 1.5 2.7×

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 VP300 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F, HONDA XR250).

YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 tests Compare head-to-head →

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 VP300.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the VP300

More YAMAHA models

other YAMAHA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
YAMAHA YZF-R1 84.1% pass · 232k tests
YAMAHA YZF-R6 79.0% pass · 155k tests
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests
YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests
YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k tests
YAMAHA FZ6 85.2% pass · 67.1k tests

See all YAMAHA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 2005 (88.3%). Lowest: 2003 (82.6%). Every VP300 year compared →

81%85%89%2003: 82.6% pass (167 tests)2004: 82.6% pass (530 tests)2005: 88.3% pass (103 tests)200320042005

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 VP300 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA VP300 reliable?

The YAMAHA VP300 is about average for its class: 83.4% of its 808 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2868 of 5428 models.

What does a VP300 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling: 41% of all defects recorded against failed VP300 tests.

What is the best year of VP300 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (88.3%) and 2004 worst (82.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VP300 last?

The median VP300 shows 11,086 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 64.3% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum: a live Yamaha VP300 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.