YAMAHA XJ600

598cc Petrol Class 2

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

76.5%

first-time pass rate

16.0%

failed outright

24,197

median miles at test

60.6k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XJ600's first-time pass rate has risen 3.8 points since 2005, 77.1% to 80.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJ600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJ600 passes first time 84.3% of the time; by 50k that's 68.3%.

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 XJ600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	6,026	27.6	1.7×
steering and suspension	4,788	22	1.9×
lighting and signalling	4,125	18.9	1.2×
tyres and wheels	2,119	9.7	1.5×
drive system	1,440	6.6	2.4×
fuel and exhaust	1,053	4.8	2.0×
lamps and reflectors	750	3.4	0.5×
suspension	640	2.9	1.1×
structure and attachments	451	2.1	0.8×
tyres	404	1.9	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 XJ600 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 XJ600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (86.2% pass). Weakest: 1985 (61.9%).

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 XJ600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ600 reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ600 is less reliable than average for its class: 76.5% of its 60,557 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4123 of 5426 models.

What does a XJ600 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XJ600 tests.

What is the best year of XJ600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (86.2%) and 1985 worst (61.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ600 last?

The median XJ600 shows 24,197 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 68.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.