YAMAHA YZF

749cc Petrol Class 2

#3647 of 5426 overall #242 of 409 YAMAHAs #174 of 226 sport bikes

79.7%

first-time pass rate

12.3%

failed outright

19,736

median miles at test

1,202

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The YZF's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.9 points since 2006, 79.1% to 76.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage YZF passes first time 80.4% of the time; by 40k that's 70.8%.

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 YZF

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	88	24.6	1.2×
brakes	75	21	1.0×
steering and suspension	56	15.7	1.1×
tyres and wheels	33	9.2	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	25	7	0.9×
suspension	22	6.2	1.7×
reg plates and vin	17	4.8	1.9×
drive system	16	4.5	1.3×
tyres	13	3.6	1.1×
audible warning (Horn)	12	3.4	5.5×

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 YZF beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA CBR600F, HONDA CBR900RR, YAMAHA YZF-R6).

HONDA CBR600F 81.7% pass · 202k tests HONDA CBR900RR 83.2% pass · 166k tests YAMAHA YZF-R6 79.0% pass · 155k tests SUZUKI GSXR600 76.7% pass · 149k 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 YZF.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (86.2% pass). Weakest: 1994 (70.2%).

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 YZF FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA YZF reliable?

The YAMAHA YZF is less reliable than average for its class: 79.7% of its 1,202 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3647 of 5426 models.

What does a YZF fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed YZF tests.

What is the best year of YZF to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (86.2%) and 1994 worst (70.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a YZF last?

The median YZF shows 19,736 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 70.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.