BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ YAMAHA/XJ 6 S DIVERSION
Model report · 2005–2025

YAMAHA XJ 6 S DIVERSION

599cc Petrol Class 2
#1695 of 5428 overall #69 of 409 YAMAHAs #1025 of 2788 other bikes
87.7%
first-time pass rate
6.7%
failed outright
13,435
median miles at test
8,519
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+2.1pp
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 · 2012–2025

The XJ 6 S DIVERSION's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2012 (86.6% → 87.0%).

82%87%92%2012: 86.6% pass (149 tests)2013: 90.3% pass (517 tests)2014: 89.2% pass (676 tests)2015: 88.6% pass (779 tests)2016: 87.7% pass (920 tests)2017: 88.5% pass (855 tests)2018: 89.2% pass (639 tests)2019: 87.0% pass (600 tests)2020: 85.5% pass (545 tests)2021: 87.5% pass (641 tests)2022: 86.9% pass (633 tests)2023: 87.3% pass (621 tests)2024: 83.7% pass (449 tests)2025: 87.0% pass (493 tests)20122025

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJ 6 S DIVERSION's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJ 6 S DIVERSION passes first time 92.5% of the time; by 50k that's 73.4%.

70%83%96%0k: 92.5% pass (3,128 tests)10k: 87.7% pass (2,726 tests)20k: 83.8% pass (1,429 tests)30k: 82.2% pass (628 tests)40k: 80.3% pass (294 tests)50k: 73.4% pass (143 tests)0k30k50k

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 6 S DIVERSION

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
227 22.8 0.5×
lamps and reflectors
159 16 0.9×
tyres and wheels
123 12.4 0.6×
tyres
114 11.5 1.7×
structure and attachments
104 10.5 1.4×
suspension
81 8.1 1.1×
lighting and signalling
62 6.2 0.2×
drive system
55 5.5 0.6×
steering and suspension
42 4.2 0.1×
steering
28 2.8 0.6×

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 6 S DIVERSION beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 XJ 6 S DIVERSION.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the XJ 6 S Diversion

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: 2013 (89.2% pass). Weakest: 2010 (87.2%).

86%88%90%2009: 87.7% pass (1,658 tests)2010: 87.2% pass (3,726 tests)2011: 87.9% pass (1,262 tests)2012: 87.7% pass (811 tests)2013: 89.2% pass (1,059 tests)200920112013

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 6 S DIVERSION FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ 6 S DIVERSION reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ 6 S DIVERSION is more reliable than average for its class: 87.7% of its 8,519 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1695 of 5428 models.

What does a XJ 6 S DIVERSION fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 23% of all defects recorded against failed XJ 6 S DIVERSION tests.

What is the best year of XJ 6 S DIVERSION to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (89.2%) and 2010 worst (87.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ 6 S DIVERSION last?

The median XJ 6 S DIVERSION shows 13,435 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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