YAMAHA XJ 600 N

598cc Petrol Class 2

#4123 of 5426 overall #299 of 409 YAMAHAs #2585 of 2787 other bikes

76.5%

first-time pass rate

15.6%

failed outright

21,120

median miles at test

1,483

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2022

The XJ 600 N's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (78.7% → 78.1%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJ 600 N's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJ 600 N passes first time 87.0% of the time; by 50k that's 64.4%.

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 600 N

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	164	32.1	1.9×
steering and suspension	92	18	1.6×
lighting and signalling	92	18	1.1×
tyres and wheels	54	10.6	1.6×
drive system	34	6.7	2.5×
fuel and exhaust	25	4.9	2.0×
lamps and reflectors	17	3.3	0.5×
suspension	14	2.7	1.1×
structure and attachments	10	2	0.8×
tyres	9	1.8	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 600 N beats 0 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 600 N.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (82.4% pass). Weakest: 1998 (69.9%).

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 600 N FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ 600 N reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ 600 N is less reliable than average for its class: 76.5% of its 1,483 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4123 of 5426 models.

What does a XJ 600 N fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed XJ 600 N tests.

What is the best year of XJ 600 N to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (82.4%) and 1998 worst (69.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ 600 N last?

The median XJ 600 N shows 21,120 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 64.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.