YAMAHA XVS 650 A

649cc Petrol Class 2

#1883 of 5426 overall #83 of 409 YAMAHAs #1137 of 2787 other bikes

87.1%

first-time pass rate

8.1%

failed outright

11,222

median miles at test

1,164

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The XVS 650 A's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.2 points since 2006, 91.0% to 86.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XVS 650 A's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XVS 650 A passes first time 91.8% of the time; by 40k that's 74.2%.

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 XVS 650 A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	47	27.2	0.7×
lighting and signalling	39	22.5	0.6×
tyres and wheels	32	18.5	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	20	11.6	0.6×
steering and suspension	16	9.2	0.4×
reg plates and vin	7	4	1.0×
Identification of the vehicle	3	1.7	1.1×
body and structure	3	1.7	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	3	1.7	0.3×
tyres	3	1.7	0.4×

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 XVS 650 A 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 XVS 650 A.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2002 (93.2% pass). Weakest: 1999 (81.8%).

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 XVS 650 A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XVS 650 A reliable?

The YAMAHA XVS 650 A is more reliable than average for its class: 87.1% of its 1,164 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1883 of 5426 models.

What does a XVS 650 A fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed XVS 650 A tests.

What is the best year of XVS 650 A to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2002-registered examples do best (93.2%) and 1999 worst (81.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XVS 650 A last?

The median XVS 650 A shows 11,222 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 74.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.