Yamaha NS MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha NS motorcycles pass the MOT 67.41% of the time, measured across 313 tests in the DVSA record. A further 8.63% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 19.5 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 67.41% 211 of 313

Fixed at the station 8.63% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 14,605 miles

Average age at test 9.38 years old

Engine 49cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Yamaha NS 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 38.7% of failed tests on this model.
Then check missing and less than 1.0 mm thick, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has a serious fluid leak (10.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 14,605 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
6-10 years	67.67%		266
11-15 years	64.44%		45

Why the Yamaha NS 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	38.7%	29
2	Missing	32%	24
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	24%	18
4	Excessively stiff or notchy	13.3%	10
5	Insecure	13.3%	10
6	Too low	13.3%	10
7	Not working on dipped beam	10.7%	8
8	Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s)	9.3%	7
9	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	9.3%	7
10	Showing white light to the rear	9.3%	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	Has a serious fluid leak	10.2%	32
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	8.9%	28
3	Tread not clearly visible	8.3%	26
4	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	7.7%	24
5	Excessively stiff or notchy	4.8%	15
6	Has excessive play	4.5%	14
7	Inscription illegible	4.5%	14
8	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.2%	13
9	Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied	3.2%	10
10	Has excessive wear or free play	2.9%	9

Yamaha NS for sale

No Yamaha NS in stock at the moment - 82 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Used Yamaha NS 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
Piaggio VESPA 49cc · 48-50cc	1,852	84.23%	9,941
Piaggio ZIP · 51cc	1,179	76.34%	9,489
Peugeot KISBEE · 54cc	1,096	72.72%	9,978
Honda NSC 49cc · 49-50cc	1,005	82.29%	12,610
Peugeot SPEEDFIGHT 49cc · 49-50cc	781	70.17%	11,804
Lexmoto ECHO 50 E4 · 50cc	530	61.51%	6,253

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

Yamaha NS MOT questions

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

67.41% of Yamaha NS MOT tests end in a pass, based on 313 tests in the DVSA dataset.

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

Not working, which appears in 38.7% of failed tests on this model.

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

At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 64.44%, against 67.67% for examples 6-10 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.