Yamaha TDM900 MOT pass rate and common failures
Yamaha TDM900 motorcycles pass the MOT 88.93% of the time, measured across 885 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.95% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with not working - it accounts for 38.1% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 39,011 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 | 86.82% | 129 | |
| 16+ years | 89.23% | 752 |
Why the Yamaha TDM900 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 | 38.1% | 24 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 25.4% | 16 | |
| 3 | Has a serious fluid leak | 23.8% | 15 | |
| 4 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 17.5% | 11 | |
| 5 | Not working on dipped beam | 12.7% | 8 | |
| 6 | Contaminated | 9.5% | 6 | |
| 7 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 9.5% | 6 | |
| 8 | Too low | 7.9% | 5 | |
| 9 | Inoperative | 4.8% | 3 | |
| 10 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 4.8% | 3 |
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 | 6.6% | 58 | |
| 2 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 5.3% | 47 | |
| 3 | Has a serious fluid leak | 4.2% | 37 | |
| 4 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 3.7% | 33 | |
| 5 | Excessively loose | 3.3% | 29 | |
| 6 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 2.9% | 26 | |
| 7 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.7% | 24 | |
| 8 | Significantly and obviously worn | 2.5% | 22 | |
| 9 | Excessively binding | 1.9% | 17 | |
| 10 | Has negligible damping effect | 1.1% | 10 |
Yamaha TDM900 for sale
No Yamaha TDM900 in stock at the moment - 83 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.
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 S 1000 · 999cc | 8,445 | 91.96% | 15,282 | |
| Yamaha YZF R1 · 998cc | 6,022 | 88.01% | 23,152 | |
| Yamaha MT 800-1000cc · 800-1000cc | 5,720 | 90.98% | 16,130 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method