YAMAHA XS1100

1101cc Petrol Class 2

#3477 of 5426 overall #227 of 409 YAMAHAs #2218 of 2787 other bikes

80.5%

first-time pass rate

10.7%

failed outright

34,214

median miles at test

2,741

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XS1100's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.3 points since 2005, 93.8% to 87.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XS1100's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XS1100 passes first time 76.7% of the time; by 50k that's 79.6%.

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 XS1100

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	237	33	1.3×
lighting and signalling	210	29.2	1.1×
steering and suspension	89	12.4	0.9×
tyres and wheels	64	8.9	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	34	4.7	1.3×
reg plates and vin	33	4.6	1.9×
body and structure	19	2.6	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	17	2.4	0.3×
driving controls	9	1.3	1.2×
structure and attachments	7	1	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 XS1100 beats 0 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 XS1100.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1978 (83.3% pass). Weakest: 1982 (73.3%).

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 XS1100 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XS1100 reliable?

The YAMAHA XS1100 is less reliable than average for its class: 80.5% of its 2,741 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3477 of 5426 models.

What does a XS1100 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 33% of all defects recorded against failed XS1100 tests.

What is the best year of XS1100 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1978-registered examples do best (83.3%) and 1982 worst (73.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XS1100 last?

The median XS1100 shows 34,214 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.