YAMAHA XVS650

649cc Petrol Class 2

#2362 of 5426 overall #123 of 409 YAMAHAs #1477 of 2787 other bikes

85.5%

first-time pass rate

8.2%

failed outright

13,288

median miles at test

44.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XVS650's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.5 points since 2005, 87.6% to 84.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XVS650's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XVS650 passes first time 89.9% of the time; by 50k that's 76.2%.

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 XVS650

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,588	23.7	0.6×
brakes	1,426	21.3	0.6×
tyres and wheels	1,045	15.6	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	835	12.4	0.7×
steering and suspension	600	8.9	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	300	4.5	0.8×
reg plates and vin	270	4	0.8×
tyres	265	4	0.7×
structure and attachments	189	2.8	0.5×
suspension	189	2.8	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 XVS650 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 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 XVS650.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (88.8% pass). Weakest: 1998 (83.5%).

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 XVS650 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XVS650 reliable?

The YAMAHA XVS650 is about average for its class: 85.5% of its 44,654 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2362 of 5426 models.

What does a XVS650 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 24% of all defects recorded against failed XVS650 tests.

What is the best year of XVS650 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (88.8%) and 1998 worst (83.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XVS650 last?

The median XVS650 shows 13,288 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.