YAMAHA XT600

595cc Petrol Class 2

#2984 of 5426 overall #172 of 409 YAMAHAs #1887 of 2787 other bikes

82.9%

first-time pass rate

9.1%

failed outright

19,350

median miles at test

18.9k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XT600's first-time pass rate has risen 6.3 points since 2005, 80.9% to 87.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XT600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XT600 passes first time 87.1% of the time; by 50k that's 76.6%.

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 XT600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,078	27.7	0.9×
brakes	830	21.3	0.8×
steering and suspension	653	16.8	0.9×
tyres and wheels	375	9.6	0.8×
drive system	257	6.6	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	213	5.5	0.5×
reg plates and vin	152	3.9	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	132	3.4	0.8×
suspension	104	2.7	0.6×
structure and attachments	98	2.5	0.6×

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 XT600 beats 4 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 XT600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (89.1% pass). Weakest: 1983 (75.0%).

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 XT600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XT600 reliable?

The YAMAHA XT600 is less reliable than average for its class: 82.9% of its 18,854 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2984 of 5426 models.

What does a XT600 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XT600 tests.

What is the best year of XT600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (89.1%) and 1983 worst (75.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XT600 last?

The median XT600 shows 19,350 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.