YAMAHA XJ600S

598cc Petrol Class 2

#4459 of 5426 overall #341 of 409 YAMAHAs #2718 of 2787 other bikes

73.4%

first-time pass rate

18.7%

failed outright

26,800

median miles at test

865

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The XJ600S's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (74.2% → 73.8%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJ600S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJ600S passes first time 83.5% of the time; by 50k that's 70.2%.

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 XJ600S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	92	27.1	1.9×
steering and suspension	85	25	2.5×
lighting and signalling	68	20	1.7×
tyres and wheels	37	10.9	1.8×
drive system	20	5.9	2.9×
fuel and exhaust	16	4.7	2.1×
body and structure	9	2.6	1.9×
suspension	6	1.8	0.8×
reg plates and vin	4	1.2	0.8×
steering	3	0.9	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 XJ600S 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 XJ600S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (77.8% pass). Weakest: 1997 (62.7%).

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 XJ600S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ600S reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ600S is less reliable than average for its class: 73.4% of its 865 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4459 of 5426 models.

What does a XJ600S fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed XJ600S tests.

What is the best year of XJ600S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (77.8%) and 1997 worst (62.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ600S last?

The median XJ600S shows 26,800 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 70.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.