YAMAHA XJ550

528cc Petrol Class 2

#4171 of 5426 overall #307 of 409 YAMAHAs #2606 of 2787 other bikes

76.1%

first-time pass rate

14.1%

failed outright

33,323

median miles at test

1,569

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XJ550's first-time pass rate has risen 15.2 points since 2005, 78.9% to 94.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJ550's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJ550 passes first time 75.4% of the time; by 50k that's 75.5%.

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 XJ550

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	157	28.1	1.5×
brakes	148	26.5	1.5×
steering and suspension	116	20.8	1.7×
tyres and wheels	32	5.7	0.9×
drive system	29	5.2	2.1×
fuel and exhaust	25	4.5	1.8×
lamps and reflectors	17	3	0.5×
body and structure	16	2.9	2.0×
reg plates and vin	11	2	1.2×
driving controls	8	1.4	2.2×

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 XJ550 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 XJ550.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1984 (77.4% pass). Weakest: 1982 (74.5%).

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 XJ550 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ550 reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ550 is less reliable than average for its class: 76.1% of its 1,569 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4171 of 5426 models.

What does a XJ550 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XJ550 tests.

What is the best year of XJ550 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1984-registered examples do best (77.4%) and 1982 worst (74.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ550 last?

The median XJ550 shows 33,323 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.