Yamaha XJR1300 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha XJR1300 motorcycles pass the MOT 90.43% of the time, measured across 3,805 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.97% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 3.6 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 90.43% 3,441 of 3,805
Fixed at the station 4.97% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 26,274 miles
Average age at test 21.14 years old
Engine 1,251cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Yamaha XJR1300 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 42.9% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check missing and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 100% of 6-10 year old examples pass, against 90.19% at 16+ years - a gap of 9.8 points.
  • The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (7.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 26,274 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 100% 44
11-15 years 91.78% 365
16+ years 90.19% 3,394

Why the Yamaha XJR1300 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 42.9% 75
2 Missing 29.1% 51
3 Has a serious fluid leak 19.4% 34
4 Too low 18.3% 32
5 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 14.3% 25
6 Too high 13.7% 24
7 Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls 12.6% 22
8 Less than 1.0 mm thick 12.6% 22
9 Flashing more than 120 times a minute 10.3% 18
10 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 10.3% 18

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 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 7.4% 281
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 5.7% 218
3 Less than 1.0 mm thick 2.9% 111
4 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.5% 97
5 Has a serious fluid leak 2.1% 81
6 Excessively binding 1.8% 68
7 Has a major leak of exhaust gases 1.8% 68
8 Excessively loose 1.6% 59
9 In such a condition that it is seriously weakened 1.4% 52
10 Seriously damaged 1.2% 47

Yamaha XJR1300 for sale

No Yamaha XJR1300 in stock at the moment - 84 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
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
BMW R 1200 · 1,170cc 6,170 95.28% 27,241

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

Yamaha XJR1300 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha XJR1300?+
90.43% of Yamaha XJR1300 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 3,805 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha XJR1300?+
Not working, which appears in 42.9% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Yamaha XJR1300 get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 90.19%, against 100% 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.
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