YAMAHA XV1600

1600cc Petrol Class 2

#1666 of 5426 overall #68 of 409 YAMAHAs #1010 of 2787 other bikes

87.8%

first-time pass rate

6.3%

failed outright

18,035

median miles at test

7,341

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XV1600's first-time pass rate has fallen 10.1 points since 2005, 95.2% to 85.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XV1600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XV1600 passes first time 90.0% of the time; by 50k that's 80.5%.

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 XV1600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	214	25.2	0.5×
brakes	178	20.9	0.4×
tyres and wheels	119	14	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	101	11.9	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	55	6.5	1.0×
reg plates and vin	54	6.4	1.1×
Identification of the vehicle	35	4.1	2.0×
tyres	34	4	0.6×
steering and suspension	30	3.5	0.1×
structure and attachments	30	3.5	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 XV1600 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, SUZUKI GSF1200).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k 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 XV1600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (90.8% pass). Weakest: 2001 (87.5%).

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 XV1600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XV1600 reliable?

The YAMAHA XV1600 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.8% of its 7,341 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1666 of 5426 models.

What does a XV1600 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed XV1600 tests.

What is the best year of XV1600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (90.8%) and 2001 worst (87.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XV1600 last?

The median XV1600 shows 18,035 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.