BMW R850 vs Yamaha FZS600

The BMW R850 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FZS600: 86.7% vs 82.6%, a 4.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	BMW R850	Yamaha FZS600
First-time pass rate	86.7%	82.6%
Outright fail rate	7.2%	10.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.3 pts	-0.8 pts
Engine size	850cc	599cc
Rank among all models	#1985 of 5428	#3052 of 5428
Median miles at test	27,493	21,612
MOT tests analysed	16,654	136,558
Most common failure	brakes	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.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	BMW R850	Yamaha FZS600
Brakes	3.0%	4.5%
Lights & signalling	2.9%	3.4%
Steering & suspension	1.8%	2.7%
Tyres & wheels	1.6%	2.9%
Fuel & exhaust	0.1%	1.1%
Structure & body	0.1%	1.1%
Drive system	0%	0.9%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

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

Test year	BMW R850	Yamaha FZS600
2018	84.3%	81.3%
2019	87.6%	83.0%
2020	89.2%	83.6%
2021	86.2%	82.8%
2022	86.6%	83.6%
2023	86.0%	84.2%
2024	89.4%	83.3%
2025	85.3%	84.0%

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	BMW R850	Yamaha FZS600
0k-10k miles	91.6%	89.6%
10k-20k miles	90.7%	85.5%
20k-30k miles	87.2%	81.4%
30k-40k miles	84.6%	78.7%
40k-50k miles	83.5%	76.8%
50k-60k miles	83.5%	74.7%

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

BMW R850 vs Yamaha FZS600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the BMW R850 or the Yamaha FZS600?

The BMW R850 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FZS600: 86.7% vs 82.6%, a 4.1-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the BMW R850 still comes out ahead: +4.3 points vs comparable bikes for the BMW R850, -0.8 for the Yamaha FZS600. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the BMW R850 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 3.0% of BMW R850 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (2.9%).

What does the Yamaha FZS600 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 4.5% of Yamaha FZS600 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (3.4%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the BMW R850 or the Yamaha FZS600?

At 50k-60k miles the BMW R850 passes first time more often: 83.5% for the BMW R850 vs 74.7% for the Yamaha FZS600.

BMW R850 86.7% pass · 16.7k 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.