YAMAHA XJR400

400cc Petrol Class 2

#4230 of 5426 overall #314 of 409 YAMAHAs #2628 of 2787 other bikes

75.6%

first-time pass rate

15.4%

failed outright

24,371

median miles at test

1,088

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2021

The XJR400's first-time pass rate has risen 7.3 points since 2006, 72.1% to 79.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XJR400's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XJR400 passes first time 73.9% of the time; by 50k that's 68.8%.

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 XJR400

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	111	28.1	1.5×
lighting and signalling	88	22.3	1.4×
steering and suspension	87	22	1.9×
tyres and wheels	36	9.1	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	20	5.1	2.1×
drive system	17	4.3	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	14	3.5	0.5×
reg plates and vin	10	2.5	1.3×
suspension	6	1.5	0.6×
driving controls	6	1.5	2.3×

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 XJR400 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, SUZUKI GS500, SUZUKI AN400).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k 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 XJR400.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (84.7% pass). Weakest: 1995 (68.4%).

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 XJR400 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XJR400 reliable?

The YAMAHA XJR400 is less reliable than average for its class: 75.6% of its 1,088 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4230 of 5426 models.

What does a XJR400 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XJR400 tests.

What is the best year of XJR400 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (84.7%) and 1995 worst (68.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XJR400 last?

The median XJR400 shows 24,371 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 68.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.