YAMAHA XVS950

948cc Petrol Class 2

#1541 of 5426 overall #64 of 409 YAMAHAs #936 of 2787 other bikes

88.2%

first-time pass rate

4.3%

failed outright

9,808

median miles at test

515

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2014–2025

The XVS950's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2014 (92.3% → 91.4%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XVS950's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XVS950 passes first time 89.2% of the time; by 20k that's 92.6%.

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 XVS950

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	11	31.4	0.5×
tyres and wheels	8	22.9	0.6×
tyres	6	17.1	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	3	8.6	0.2×
structure and attachments	2	5.7	0.6×
suspension	1	2.9	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	1	2.9	0.3×
drive system	1	2.9	0.3×
reg plates and vin	1	2.9	0.3×
steering	1	2.9	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 XVS950 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 XVS950.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (92.5% pass). Weakest: 2010 (85.1%).

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 XVS950 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XVS950 reliable?

The YAMAHA XVS950 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.2% of its 515 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1541 of 5426 models.

What does a XVS950 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 31% of all defects recorded against failed XVS950 tests.

What is the best year of XVS950 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (92.5%) and 2010 worst (85.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XVS950 last?

The median XVS950 shows 9,808 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 92.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.