YAMAHA XS

653cc Petrol Class 2

#3704 of 5426 overall #253 of 409 YAMAHAs #2355 of 2787 other bikes

79.4%

first-time pass rate

12.3%

failed outright

23,030

median miles at test

1,107

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The XS's first-time pass rate has risen 1.8 points since 2006, 79.8% to 81.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XS passes first time 79.6% of the time; by 50k that's 80.7%.

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 XS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	94	27.5	1.3×
brakes	81	23.7	1.1×
steering and suspension	71	20.8	1.5×
tyres and wheels	27	7.9	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	20	5.8	1.9×
reg plates and vin	15	4.4	2.2×
body and structure	12	3.5	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	8	2.3	0.3×
drive system	8	2.3	0.9×
driving controls	6	1.8	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 XS beats 2 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 XS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1978 (87.4% pass). Weakest: 1979 (73.8%).

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 XS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XS reliable?

The YAMAHA XS is less reliable than average for its class: 79.4% of its 1,107 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3704 of 5426 models.

What does a XS fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 27% of all defects recorded against failed XS tests.

What is the best year of XS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1978-registered examples do best (87.4%) and 1979 worst (73.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XS last?

The median XS shows 23,030 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.