Morini 3.5 vs Yamaha RD350

The Morini 3.5 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 86.4% vs 86.3%, a 0.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Morini 3.5	Yamaha RD350
First-time pass rate	86.4%	86.3%
Outright fail rate	5.6%	6.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+2.5 pts	+2.4 pts
Engine size	344cc	347cc
Rank among all models	#2091 of 5428	#2120 of 5428
Median miles at test	30,387	23,256
MOT tests analysed	1,571	19,574
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	lighting and signalling

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	Morini 3.5	Yamaha RD350
Lights & signalling	3.1%	3.2%
Steering & suspension	2.3%	2.5%
Brakes	1.7%	2.7%
Tyres & wheels	1.0%	0.9%
Drive system	0.4%	0.5%
Structure & body	0.5%	0.4%
Fuel & exhaust	0.4%	0.4%

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	Morini 3.5	Yamaha RD350
2014	89.5%	86.6%
2015	82.9%	85.3%
2016	78.8%	88.8%
2017	92.5%	88.0%
2018	86.4%	88.8%
2019	90.5%	91.0%
2020	78.4%	92.0%
2021	93.5%	90.1%

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	Morini 3.5	Yamaha RD350
0k-10k miles	88.0%	88.9%
10k-20k miles	85.8%	87.5%
20k-30k miles	86.3%	85.5%
30k-40k miles	86.6%	85.3%
40k-50k miles	87.3%	83.7%
50k-60k miles	86.5%	83.0%

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

Morini 3.5 vs Yamaha RD350 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Morini 3.5 or the Yamaha RD350?

The Morini 3.5 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 86.4% vs 86.3%, a 0.1-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+2.5 vs +2.4 points against comparable bikes), so the raw gap is mostly down to how old and how used each fleet is. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Morini 3.5 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.1% of Morini 3.5 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (2.3%).

What does the Yamaha RD350 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.2% of Yamaha RD350 MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (2.7%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Morini 3.5 or the Yamaha RD350?

At 50k-60k miles the Morini 3.5 passes first time more often: 86.5% for the Morini 3.5 vs 83.0% for the Yamaha RD350.

MORINI 3.5 86.4% pass · 1,571 tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests

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