YAMAHA XJ750

748cc Petrol Class 2

#4108 of 5426 overall #297 of 409 YAMAHAs #2579 of 2787 other bikes

76.6%

first-time pass rate

14.9%

failed outright

31,934

median miles at test

1,442

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XJ750's first-time pass rate has risen 15.2 points since 2005, 65.9% to 81.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJ750's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJ750 passes first time 78.7% of the time; by 50k that's 75.8%.

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 XJ750

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	131	27.1	2.3×
brakes	129	26.7	1.5×
lighting and signalling	117	24.2	1.4×
tyres and wheels	33	6.8	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	23	4.8	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	17	3.5	0.5×
body and structure	14	2.9	1.9×
reg plates and vin	8	1.7	0.8×
driving controls	6	1.2	1.8×
tyres	5	1	0.5×

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 XJ750 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 TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 XJ750.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1984 (79.2% pass). Weakest: 1981 (71.9%).

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 XJ750 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJ750 reliable?

The YAMAHA XJ750 is less reliable than average for its class: 76.6% of its 1,442 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4108 of 5426 models.

What does a XJ750 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 27% of all defects recorded against failed XJ750 tests.

What is the best year of XJ750 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1984-registered examples do best (79.2%) and 1981 worst (71.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJ750 last?

The median XJ750 shows 31,934 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.