Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 vs Yamaha RD350

The Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 94.6% vs 86.3%, a 8.3-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5	Yamaha RD350
First-time pass rate	94.6%	86.3%
Outright fail rate	2.0%	6.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.5 pts	+2.4 pts
Engine size	349cc	347cc
Rank among all models	#111 of 5428	#2120 of 5428
Median miles at test	2,539	23,256
MOT tests analysed	811	19,574
Most common failure	brakes	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	Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5	Yamaha RD350
Lights & signalling	0.5%	3.2%
Brakes	0.6%	2.7%
Steering & suspension	0.4%	2.5%
Tyres & wheels	0.2%	0.9%
Drive system	0%	0.5%
Structure & body	0.1%	0.4%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	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 mileage

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

Mileage	Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5	Yamaha RD350
0k-10k miles	95.0%	88.9%
10k-20k miles	91.0%	87.5%

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

Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 vs Yamaha RD350 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 or the Yamaha RD350?

The Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 94.6% vs 86.3%, a 8.3-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 still comes out ahead: +4.5 points vs comparable bikes for the Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5, +2.4 for the Yamaha RD350. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 0.6% of Royal Enfield Classic 350 E5 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (0.5%).

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%).

ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC 350 E5 94.6% pass · 811 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.