YAMAHA XT 1200

1199cc Petrol Class 2

#243 of 5426 overall #10 of 409 YAMAHAs #152 of 2787 other bikes

93.4%

first-time pass rate

3.0%

failed outright

15,590

median miles at test

592

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2020–2025

The XT 1200's first-time pass rate has fallen 11.6 points since 2020, 100.0% to 88.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XT 1200's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XT 1200 passes first time 97.7% of the time; by 30k that's 87.7%.

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 XT 1200

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	15	33.3	0.3×
suspension	9	20	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	7	15.6	0.4×
wheels	3	6.7	8.4×
tyres	3	6.7	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	2	4.4	0.2×
tyres and wheels	2	4.4	0.2×
steering	2	4.4	0.8×
steering and suspension	1	2.2	0.1×
lighting and signalling	1	2.2	—

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 XT 1200 beats 4 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 XT 1200.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2018 (95.7% pass). Weakest: 2012 (91.7%).

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 XT 1200 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XT 1200 reliable?

The YAMAHA XT 1200 is more reliable than average for its class: 93.4% of its 592 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #243 of 5426 models.

What does a XT 1200 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 33% of all defects recorded against failed XT 1200 tests.

What is the best year of XT 1200 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2018-registered examples do best (95.7%) and 2012 worst (91.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XT 1200 last?

The median XT 1200 shows 15,590 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 87.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.