YAMAHA XV1600A

1602cc Petrol Class 2

#2909 of 5426 overall #163 of 409 YAMAHAs #1836 of 2787 other bikes

83.2%

first-time pass rate

8.0%

failed outright

18,642

median miles at test

573

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The XV1600A's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.0 points since 2006, 90.3% to 81.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XV1600A's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XV1600A passes first time 89.9% of the time; by 50k that's 81.3%.

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 XV1600A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	20	24.7	0.7×
lighting and signalling	19	23.5	0.4×
tyres and wheels	13	16	1.0×
reg plates and vin	8	9.9	2.4×
lamps and reflectors	7	8.6	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	7	8.6	1.6×
steering and suspension	3	3.7	0.1×
tyres	2	2.5	0.5×
wheels	1	1.2	2.9×
driving controls	1	1.2	0.7×

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 XV1600A beats 1 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 XV1600A.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2003 (88.2% pass). Weakest: 2001 (79.2%).

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 XV1600A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XV1600A reliable?

The YAMAHA XV1600A is about average for its class: 83.2% of its 573 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2909 of 5426 models.

What does a XV1600A fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 25% of all defects recorded against failed XV1600A tests.

What is the best year of XV1600A to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (88.2%) and 2001 worst (79.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XV1600A last?

The median XV1600A shows 18,642 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 81.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.