Yamaha FZS1000 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha FZS1000 motorcycles pass the MOT 91.01% of the time, measured across 2,324 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.31% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 4.1 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 91.01% 2,115 of 2,324

Fixed at the station 3.31% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 34,920 miles

Average age at test 21.23 years old

Engine 998cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Yamaha FZS1000 adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

Start with not working - it accounts for 28.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check has a serious fluid leak and tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 34,920 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test	Pass rate		Tests
11-15 years	95.74%		47
16+ years	90.91%		2,277

Why the Yamaha FZS1000 fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

#	Item	Of failures	Tests
1	Not working	28.8%	38
2	Has a serious fluid leak	21.2%	28
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	21.2%	28
4	Missing	15.9%	21
5	Too low	11.4%	15
6	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	9.8%	13
7	Contaminated	8.3%	11
8	Less than 1.0 mm thick	8.3%	11
9	Does not conform to the specified requirements	6.8%	9
10	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	5.3%	7

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

#	Item	Of all tests	Tests
1	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	6.2%	143
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	6.1%	142
3	Has a serious fluid leak	3.7%	85
4	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.9%	68
5	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.7%	63
6	Excessively loose	2.4%	56
7	Component pin or bush excessively worn	1.4%	32
8	Tread not clearly visible	1.4%	32
9	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	1.2%	29
10	Excessively binding	1.2%	28

Yamaha FZS1000 for sale

No Yamaha FZS1000 in stock at the moment - 84 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Used Yamaha FZS1000 Used Yamaha All Yamaha Yamaha MOT statistics

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Triumph TIGER · 969cc	16,144	91.27%	22,934
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	9,521	94.43%	28,830
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Yamaha FZS1000 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha FZS1000?+

91.01% of Yamaha FZS1000 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 2,324 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha FZS1000?+

Not working, which appears in 28.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Yamaha FZS1000 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 90.91%, against 95.74% for examples 11-15 years old.

Where does this data come from?+

From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.

Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+

Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.