YAMAHA XV535 VIRAGO

535cc Petrol Class 2

#3440 of 5426 overall #223 of 409 YAMAHAs #2196 of 2787 other bikes

80.7%

first-time pass rate

11.7%

failed outright

17,566

median miles at test

760

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XV535 VIRAGO's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.2 points since 2006, 86.3% to 82.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XV535 VIRAGO's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XV535 VIRAGO passes first time 89.2% of the time; by 40k that's 82.0%.

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 XV535 VIRAGO

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	55	27.6	1.2×
brakes	41	20.6	1.0×
steering and suspension	28	14.1	1.0×
tyres and wheels	23	11.6	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	21	10.6	2.8×
lamps and reflectors	14	7	0.4×
reg plates and vin	7	3.5	1.6×
suspension	4	2	0.7×
wheels	3	1.5	4.4×
body and structure	3	1.5	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 XV535 VIRAGO 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 XV535 VIRAGO.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1993 (91.2% pass). Weakest: 1992 (76.6%).

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 XV535 VIRAGO FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XV535 VIRAGO reliable?

The YAMAHA XV535 VIRAGO is less reliable than average for its class: 80.7% of its 760 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3440 of 5426 models.

What does a XV535 VIRAGO fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XV535 VIRAGO tests.

What is the best year of XV535 VIRAGO to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (91.2%) and 1992 worst (76.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XV535 VIRAGO last?

The median XV535 VIRAGO shows 17,566 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 82.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.