Ariel VH vs Yamaha FZS600

The Ariel VH passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FZS600: 88.9% vs 82.6%, a 6.3-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Ariel VH	Yamaha FZS600
First-time pass rate	88.9%	82.6%
Outright fail rate	2.9%	10.6%
Engine size	500cc	599cc
Rank among all models	#1305 of 5428	#3052 of 5428
Median miles at test	23,895	21,612
MOT tests analysed	307	136,558
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	brakes

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Ariel VH	Yamaha FZS600
2006	91.3%	86.0%
2007	92.7%	84.1%
2008	90.7%	83.4%
2009	90.2%	81.2%
2010	86.1%	82.0%
2011	87.2%	81.1%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Ariel VH	Yamaha FZS600
0k-10k miles	86.2%	89.6%
10k-20k miles	79.1%	85.5%
30k-40k miles	92.7%	78.7%
40k-50k miles	97.1%	76.8%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

ARIEL VH 88.9% pass · 307 tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.