Yamaha TRACER 900 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha TRACER 900 motorcycles pass the MOT 94.92% of the time, measured across 472 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.33% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 8 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 94.92% 448 of 472
Fixed at the station 2.33% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 13,090 miles
Average age at test 5.79 years old
Engine 847cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 2 Yamaha TRACER 900 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with missing - it accounts for 30.8% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm and excessively loose, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.1% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 13,090 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
3-5 years 96.05% 253
6-10 years 93.61% 219

Why the Yamaha TRACER 900 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 Missing 30.8% 4
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 30.8% 4
3 Excessively loose 23.1% 3
4 Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps 15.4% 2
5 Seriously damaged 15.4% 2
6 Does not conform to the specified requirements 7.7% 1
7 Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) 7.7% 1
8 Excessively tight 7.7% 1
9 Flashing more than 120 times a minute 7.7% 1
10 Fluid level below minimum level 7.7% 1

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 6.1% 29
2 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 3.6% 17
3 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 1.9% 9
4 Component pin or bush excessively worn 1.7% 8
5 Excessively loose 1.5% 7
6 Less than 1.0 mm thick 1.5% 7
7 Pin or bush excessively worn 1.5% 7
8 Excessively stiff or notchy 1.1% 5
9 Has a serious fluid leak 0.6% 3
10 Has negligible damping effect 0.6% 3

Yamaha TRACER 900 for sale

2 Yamaha TRACER 900 adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 84 Yamaha in total.

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 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
Honda NC · 741cc 5,311 89.53% 22,765

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

Yamaha TRACER 900 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha TRACER 900?+
94.92% of Yamaha TRACER 900 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 472 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha TRACER 900?+
Missing, which appears in 30.8% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Yamaha TRACER 900 get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 93.61%, against 96.05% for examples 3-5 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.
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