YAMAHA XJ

600cc Petrol Class 2

#2940 of 5426 overall #167 of 409 YAMAHAs #1859 of 2787 other bikes

83.1%

first-time pass rate

9.9%

failed outright

17,554

median miles at test

6,670

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XJ's first-time pass rate has risen 7.8 points since 2005, 78.7% to 86.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XJ passes first time 90.3% of the time; by 50k that's 77.3%.

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 XJ

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	288	22.3	0.8×
steering and suspension	238	18.4	0.9×
lighting and signalling	216	16.7	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	150	11.6	1.0×
tyres and wheels	119	9.2	0.8×
tyres	73	5.6	1.4×
drive system	65	5	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	50	3.9	0.9×
suspension	48	3.7	0.8×
structure and attachments	47	3.6	0.8×

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 XJ 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 XJ.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2015 (89.7% pass). Weakest: 1994 (67.6%).

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 XJ FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ is about average for its class: 83.1% of its 6,670 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2940 of 5426 models.

What does a XJ fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed XJ tests.

What is the best year of XJ to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2015-registered examples do best (89.7%) and 1994 worst (67.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ last?

The median XJ shows 17,554 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.