YAMAHA XJ6S

599cc Petrol Class 2

#2515 of 5426 overall #139 of 409 YAMAHAs #1579 of 2787 other bikes

84.9%

first-time pass rate

9.2%

failed outright

13,422

median miles at test

987

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2013–2025

The XJ6S's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.5 points since 2013, 87.3% to 77.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJ6S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJ6S passes first time 92.3% of the time; by 40k that's 75.6%.

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 XJ6S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	33	22	1.5×
brakes	26	17.3	0.6×
suspension	22	14.7	2.7×
tyres and wheels	17	11.3	0.8×
tyres	17	11.3	2.1×
structure and attachments	14	9.3	1.6×
lighting and signalling	9	6	0.2×
steering and suspension	6	4	0.2×
steering	3	2	0.5×
drive system	3	2	0.3×

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 XJ6S beats 4 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 XJ6S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (90.4% pass). Weakest: 2010 (81.5%).

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 XJ6S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ6S reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ6S is about average for its class: 84.9% of its 987 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2515 of 5426 models.

What does a XJ6S fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 22% of all defects recorded against failed XJ6S tests.

What is the best year of XJ6S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (90.4%) and 2010 worst (81.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ6S last?

The median XJ6S shows 13,422 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 75.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.