Yamaha XJ900 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha XJ900 motorcycles pass the MOT 82.74% of the time, measured across 840 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 4.1 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 82.74% 695 of 840

Fixed at the station 5% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 38,941 miles

Average age at test 27.45 years old

Engine 891cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Yamaha XJ900 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 39.8% 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 (7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 38,941 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
16+ years	82.7%		838

Why the Yamaha XJ900 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	39.8%	41
2	Has a serious fluid leak	18.4%	19
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	18.4%	19
4	Excessively binding	13.6%	14
5	Too high	8.7%	9
6	Too low	8.7%	9
7	Less than 1.0 mm thick	7.8%	8
8	Excessively stiff or notchy	6.8%	7
9	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	5.8%	6
10	Missing	5.8%	6

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	7%	59
2	Has a serious fluid leak	4.5%	38
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	4.5%	38
4	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	4.2%	35
5	Excessively binding	3.2%	27
6	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	3.2%	27
7	Significantly and obviously worn	2.9%	24
8	Corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced	2.7%	23
9	Excessively stiff or notchy	2%	17
10	Tread not clearly visible	1.9%	16

Yamaha XJ900 for sale

No Yamaha XJ900 in stock at the moment - 83 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Used Yamaha XJ900 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 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

Yamaha XJ900 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha XJ900?+

82.74% of Yamaha XJ900 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 840 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha XJ900?+

Not working, which appears in 39.8% of failed tests on this model.

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.