YAMAHA XJR

1251cc Petrol Class 2

#2172 of 5426 overall #100 of 409 YAMAHAs #1342 of 2787 other bikes

86.1%

first-time pass rate

7.6%

failed outright

10,358

median miles at test

2,878

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The XJR's first-time pass rate has risen 6.0 points since 2006, 85.5% to 91.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XJR passes first time 91.5% of the time; by 50k that's 73.4%.

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 XJR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	105	25.1	0.6×
lighting and signalling	80	19.1	0.4×
steering and suspension	66	15.8	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	44	10.5	0.8×
tyres and wheels	32	7.7	0.5×
tyres	25	6	1.0×
structure and attachments	20	4.8	0.8×
Identification of the vehicle	16	3.8	2.4×
fuel and exhaust	15	3.6	0.6×
reg plates and vin	15	3.6	0.7×

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 XJR beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 XJR.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2016 (92.4% pass). Weakest: 1993 (64.7%).

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 XJR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJR reliable?

The YAMAHA XJR is about average for its class: 86.1% of its 2,878 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2172 of 5426 models.

What does a XJR fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 25% of all defects recorded against failed XJR tests.

What is the best year of XJR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2016-registered examples do best (92.4%) and 1993 worst (64.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJR last?

The median XJR shows 10,358 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.