BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ YAMAHA/WR450F
Model report · 2005–2025

YAMAHA WR450F

449cc Petrol Class 2
#3913 of 5428 overall #273 of 409 YAMAHAs #2478 of 2788 other bikes
78.0%
first-time pass rate
13.0%
failed outright
3,085
median miles at test
9,518
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-10.6pp
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 · 2006–2025

The WR450F's first-time pass rate has risen 1.6 points since 2006, 80.0% to 81.6%.

66%77%88%2006: 80.0% pass (170 tests)2007: 79.6% pass (323 tests)2008: 74.6% pass (497 tests)2009: 69.5% pass (558 tests)2010: 72.6% pass (649 tests)2011: 74.4% pass (671 tests)2012: 78.1% pass (679 tests)2013: 76.5% pass (676 tests)2014: 77.4% pass (627 tests)2015: 80.6% pass (613 tests)2016: 78.4% pass (574 tests)2017: 80.0% pass (525 tests)2018: 82.0% pass (399 tests)2019: 78.0% pass (382 tests)2020: 84.0% pass (363 tests)2021: 83.0% pass (411 tests)2022: 79.0% pass (404 tests)2023: 81.5% pass (389 tests)2024: 83.4% pass (283 tests)2025: 81.6% pass (320 tests)20062025

What fails on a WR450F

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
1,192 35.9 1.7×
steering and suspension
532 16 1.3×
lamps and reflectors
337 10.2 1.2×
tyres and wheels
302 9.1 1.2×
reg plates and vin
301 9.1 4.1×
brakes
266 8 0.5×
suspension
127 3.8 1.4×
drive system
119 3.6 1.1×
Identification of the vehicle
71 2.1 3.1×
fuel and exhaust
71 2.1 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 WR450F beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, YAMAHA XV535, SUZUKI GS500).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA XV535 82.7% pass · 48.1k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k 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 WR450F.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the WR450F

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (83.2% pass). Weakest: 2001 (73.2%).

71%78%85%2001: 73.2% pass (112 tests)2002: 83.0% pass (112 tests)2003: 77.1% pass (1,434 tests)2004: 76.1% pass (1,759 tests)2005: 77.1% pass (1,950 tests)2006: 79.5% pass (1,304 tests)2007: 76.7% pass (1,264 tests)2008: 82.8% pass (587 tests)2009: 78.4% pass (218 tests)2010: 80.5% pass (164 tests)2011: 78.4% pass (88 tests)2012: 83.2% pass (196 tests)2019: 82.8% pass (64 tests)2020: 80.8% pass (52 tests)200120082020

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 WR450F FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA WR450F reliable?

The YAMAHA WR450F is less reliable than average for its class: 78.0% of its 9,518 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3913 of 5428 models.

What does a WR450F fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 36% of all defects recorded against failed WR450F tests.

What is the best year of WR450F to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (83.2%) and 2001 worst (73.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Yamaha WR450F reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.