YAMAHA XS750

747cc Petrol Class 2

#3787 of 5426 overall #259 of 409 YAMAHAs #2404 of 2787 other bikes

78.9%

first-time pass rate

12.9%

failed outright

27,178

median miles at test

1,710

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2019

The XS750's first-time pass rate has risen 12.3 points since 2005, 71.4% to 83.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XS750's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XS750 passes first time 79.4% of the time; by 50k that's 84.5%.

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 XS750

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	157	29.6	1.4×
lighting and signalling	132	24.9	1.3×
steering and suspension	85	16	1.2×
tyres and wheels	40	7.5	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	28	5.3	1.8×
lamps and reflectors	28	5.3	0.4×
body and structure	19	3.6	2.1×
reg plates and vin	16	3	1.4×
driving controls	14	2.6	3.5×
structure and attachments	11	2.1	0.8×

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 XS750 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 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 XS750.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1983 (88.4% pass). Weakest: 1981 (73.9%).

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 XS750 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XS750 reliable?

The YAMAHA XS750 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.9% of its 1,710 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3787 of 5426 models.

What does a XS750 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 30% of all defects recorded against failed XS750 tests.

What is the best year of XS750 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1983-registered examples do best (88.4%) and 1981 worst (73.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XS750 last?

The median XS750 shows 27,178 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 84.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.