YAMAHA WR450F

449cc Petrol Class 2

#3914 of 5426 overall #273 of 409 YAMAHAs #2477 of 2787 other bikes

78.0%

first-time pass rate

13.0%

failed outright

3,085

median miles at test

9,518

MOT tests, 2005–2025

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%.

What fails on a WR450F

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	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 YAMAHA XV535 82.7% pass · 48.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k 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 WR450F.

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%).

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 #3914 of 5426 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.