YAMAHA XT660R

659cc Petrol Class 2

#1937 of 5426 overall #87 of 409 YAMAHAs #1173 of 2787 other bikes

86.9%

first-time pass rate

7.0%

failed outright

11,293

median miles at test

7,787

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The XT660R's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.9 points since 2007, 87.4% to 84.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XT660R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XT660R passes first time 90.4% of the time; by 50k that's 72.8%.

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 XT660R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	182	18.7	0.4×
steering and suspension	170	17.5	0.6×
lighting and signalling	149	15.3	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	146	15	0.8×
tyres and wheels	89	9.1	0.5×
drive system	83	8.5	0.9×
suspension	61	6.3	0.9×
structure and attachments	37	3.8	0.6×
tyres	29	3	0.5×
reg plates and vin	27	2.8	0.5×

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 XT660R 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 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 XT660R.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (91.5% pass). Weakest: 2004 (84.1%).

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 XT660R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XT660R reliable?

The YAMAHA XT660R is more reliable than average for its class: 86.9% of its 7,787 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1937 of 5426 models.

What does a XT660R fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 19% of all defects recorded against failed XT660R tests.

What is the best year of XT660R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (91.5%) and 2004 worst (84.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XT660R last?

The median XT660R shows 11,293 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 72.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.