Kawasaki VN1500 D1 vs Yamaha XJR1300

The Yamaha XJR1300 passes its MOT first time more often than the Kawasaki VN1500 D1: 87.4% vs 85.9%, a 1.5-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Kawasaki VN1500 D1	Yamaha XJR1300
First-time pass rate	85.9%	87.4%
Outright fail rate	6.9%	5.6%
Median miles at test	21,532	16,186
MOT tests analysed	951	95,093
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.

KAWASAKI VN1500 D1 85.9% pass · 951 tests YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k tests

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