YAMAHA XT350

346cc Petrol Class 2

#4032 of 5426 overall #288 of 409 YAMAHAs #2551 of 2787 other bikes

77.2%

first-time pass rate

13.0%

failed outright

20,268

median miles at test

4,921

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The XT350's first-time pass rate has risen 6.6 points since 2005, 78.1% to 84.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XT350's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XT350 passes first time 80.6% of the time; by 50k that's 77.8%.

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 XT350

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	720	41	1.8×
steering and suspension	294	16.8	1.4×
brakes	234	13.3	0.9×
tyres and wheels	172	9.8	1.3×
drive system	105	6	2.0×
lamps and reflectors	78	4.4	0.6×
reg plates and vin	49	2.8	1.5×
fuel and exhaust	39	2.2	1.0×
suspension	37	2.1	0.9×
structure and attachments	26	1.5	0.7×

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 XT350 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, YAMAHA RD350).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k 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 XT350.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (82.2% pass). Weakest: 1992 (72.2%).

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 XT350 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XT350 reliable?

The YAMAHA XT350 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.2% of its 4,921 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4032 of 5426 models.

What does a XT350 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 41% of all defects recorded against failed XT350 tests.

What is the best year of XT350 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (82.2%) and 1992 worst (72.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XT350 last?

The median XT350 shows 20,268 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.