YAMAHA XV

749cc Petrol Class 2

#2658 of 5426 overall #146 of 409 YAMAHAs #1672 of 2787 other bikes

84.3%

first-time pass rate

9.1%

failed outright

18,042

median miles at test

2,862

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XV's first-time pass rate has risen 5.9 points since 2005, 80.6% to 86.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XV passes first time 88.9% of the time; by 50k that's 83.6%.

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 XV

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	117	22.1	0.7×
steering and suspension	92	17.4	0.8×
brakes	77	14.6	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	68	12.9	1.0×
tyres and wheels	50	9.5	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	46	8.7	1.9×
tyres	25	4.7	1.2×
reg plates and vin	24	4.5	1.1×
suspension	17	3.2	0.6×
structure and attachments	13	2.5	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 XV 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 TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 XV.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2014 (97.8% pass). Weakest: 1987 (66.7%).

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 XV FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XV reliable?

The YAMAHA XV is about average for its class: 84.3% of its 2,862 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2658 of 5426 models.

What does a XV fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 22% of all defects recorded against failed XV tests.

What is the best year of XV to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2014-registered examples do best (97.8%) and 1987 worst (66.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XV last?

The median XV shows 18,042 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.