KAWASAKI VN1500 vs YAMAHA XJR1300

The YAMAHA XJR1300 passes its MOT first time more often than the KAWASAKI VN1500 — 87.4% vs 85.5%, a 1.9-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	KAWASAKI VN1500	YAMAHA XJR1300
First-time pass rate	85.5%	87.4%
Outright fail rate	8.0%	5.6%
Median miles at test	17,546	16,186
MOT tests analysed	9,190	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 85.5% pass · 9,190 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.