YAMAHA XS850

826cc Petrol Class 2

#3334 of 5426 overall #213 of 409 YAMAHAs #2126 of 2787 other bikes

81.2%

first-time pass rate

12.3%

failed outright

35,942

median miles at test

751

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The XS850's first-time pass rate has risen 5.6 points since 2006, 83.6% to 89.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XS850's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XS850 passes first time 76.1% of the time; by 50k that's 81.9%.

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 XS850

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	80	30.3	1.4×
lighting and signalling	59	22.3	1.3×
steering and suspension	58	22	1.7×
tyres and wheels	23	8.7	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	17	6.4	1.9×
body and structure	12	4.5	2.5×
reg plates and vin	6	2.3	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	3	1.1	0.2×
drive system	3	1.1	0.2×
driving controls	3	1.1	1.7×

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 XS850 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 XS850.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1981 (87.6% pass). Weakest: 1984 (76.2%).

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 XS850 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XS850 reliable?

The YAMAHA XS850 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.2% of its 751 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3334 of 5426 models.

What does a XS850 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 30% of all defects recorded against failed XS850 tests.

What is the best year of XS850 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1981-registered examples do best (87.6%) and 1984 worst (76.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XS850 last?

The median XS850 shows 35,942 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 81.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.