BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ YAMAHA/XJ 600 S DIVERSION
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

YAMAHA XJ 600 S DIVERSION

598cc Petrol Class 2
#4044 of 5428 overall #290 of 409 YAMAHAs #2556 of 2788 other bikes
77.1%
first-time pass rate
14.8%
failed outright
22,918
median miles at test
1,025
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-5.9pp
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 · 2005–2016

The XJ 600 S DIVERSION's first-time pass rate has risen 3.2 points since 2005, 75.7% to 78.9%.

63%79%95%2005: 75.7% pass (37 tests)2006: 82.2% pass (174 tests)2007: 70.5% pass (149 tests)2008: 79.5% pass (122 tests)2009: 70.0% pass (80 tests)2010: 90.0% pass (40 tests)2011: 80.0% pass (40 tests)2012: 69.4% pass (36 tests)2013: 79.5% pass (39 tests)2014: 77.5% pass (40 tests)2015: 68.6% pass (35 tests)2016: 78.9% pass (38 tests)20052016

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XJ 600 S DIVERSION passes first time 82.5% of the time; by 50k that's 76.3%.

60%73%86%0k: 82.5% pass (126 tests)10k: 78.4% pass (278 tests)20k: 78.1% pass (247 tests)30k: 79.8% pass (178 tests)40k: 64.0% pass (111 tests)50k: 76.3% pass (38 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 600 S DIVERSION

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
89 28.4 1.6×
steering and suspension
68 21.7 1.5×
lighting and signalling
46 14.7 0.8×
tyres and wheels
28 8.9 1.1×
drive system
24 7.7 2.4×
lamps and reflectors
23 7.3 0.9×
fuel and exhaust
12 3.8 1.4×
structure and attachments
11 3.5 1.1×
suspension
8 2.6 1.1×
Items Not Tested
4 1.3 1.1×

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 S DIVERSION beats 0 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 600 S DIVERSION.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the XJ 600 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

Highest pass rate: 2001 (83.7%). Lowest: 2000 (70.2%). Every XJ 600 S Diversion year compared →

68%77%86%1997: 77.3% pass (194 tests)1998: 76.8% pass (263 tests)1999: 79.1% pass (258 tests)2000: 70.2% pass (84 tests)2001: 83.7% pass (92 tests)2002: 82.0% pass (50 tests)199720002002

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 S DIVERSION FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ 600 S DIVERSION reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ 600 S DIVERSION is less reliable than average for its class: 77.1% of its 1,025 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4044 of 5428 models.

What does a XJ 600 S DIVERSION fail its MOT on most?

brakes: 28% of all defects recorded against failed XJ 600 S DIVERSION tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (83.7%) and 2000 worst (70.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ 600 S DIVERSION last?

The median XJ 600 S DIVERSION shows 22,918 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.3% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

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