YAMAHA XT660

660cc Petrol Class 2

#2089 of 5426 overall #95 of 409 YAMAHAs #1277 of 2787 other bikes

86.4%

first-time pass rate

6.5%

failed outright

13,842

median miles at test

926

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The XT660's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.2 points since 2011, 84.6% to 78.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XT660's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XT660 passes first time 93.9% of the time; by 40k that's 79.7%.

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 XT660

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	32	25.6	0.6×
lighting and signalling	20	16	0.4×
steering and suspension	16	12.8	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	12	9.6	0.6×
tyres and wheels	11	8.8	0.6×
structure and attachments	10	8	1.3×
drive system	8	6.4	0.6×
reg plates and vin	7	5.6	1.1×
Identification of the vehicle	5	4	2.3×
audible warning (Horn)	4	3.2	2.4×

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 XT660 beats 3 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 XT660.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (90.2% pass). Weakest: 2004 (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 XT660 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XT660 reliable?

The YAMAHA XT660 is about average for its class: 86.4% of its 926 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2089 of 5426 models.

What does a XT660 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed XT660 tests.

What is the best year of XT660 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (90.2%) and 2004 worst (76.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XT660 last?

The median XT660 shows 13,842 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 79.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.