Yamaha XT 660 X MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha XT 660 X motorcycles pass the MOT 84.17% of the time, measured across 537 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.08% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.7 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 84.17% 452 of 537
Fixed at the station 7.08% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 20,662 miles
Average age at test 17.48 years old
Engine 659cc MOT class 2
For sale now 0 Yamaha XT 660 X 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 48.9% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check missing and tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 87.92% of 11-15 year old examples pass, against 82.69% at 16+ years - a gap of 5.2 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 (14.3% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 20,662 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 87.92% 149
16+ years 82.69% 387

Why the Yamaha XT 660 X 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 48.9% 23
2 Missing 19.1% 9
3 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 19.1% 9
4 Does not conform to the specified requirements 14.9% 7
5 Insecure 12.8% 6
6 Has a serious fluid leak 10.6% 5
7 Flashing more than 120 times a minute 8.5% 4
8 Less than 1.0 mm thick 8.5% 4
9 Obviously incorrectly positioned 8.5% 4
10 Not working on main beam 6.4% 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 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 14.3% 77
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 5.6% 30
3 Significantly and obviously worn 3.9% 21
4 Has a serious fluid leak 3.5% 19
5 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3.2% 17
6 Has excessive play 2.6% 14
7 Worn to excess 2.4% 13
8 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.2% 12
9 In such a condition that it is seriously weakened 1.3% 7
10 Has a major leak of exhaust gases 1.1% 6

Yamaha XT 660 X for sale

No Yamaha XT 660 X in stock at the moment - 87 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model Tests Pass rate   Avg mileage
Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc 5,400 89.76% 19,444
Honda NC · 741cc 5,311 89.53% 22,765
Honda CBR600F · 599cc 4,914 85.61% 30,486
Suzuki GSF600 · 600cc 4,890 80% 29,308
Kawasaki ZX-6R · 599-636cc 4,713 81.54% 26,085
Royal Enfield INTERCEPTOR INT 650 · 649cc 4,016 91.24% 5,914

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

Yamaha XT 660 X MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha XT 660 X?+
84.17% of Yamaha XT 660 X MOT tests end in a pass, based on 537 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha XT 660 X?+
Not working, which appears in 48.9% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Yamaha XT 660 X get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 82.69%, against 87.92% for examples 11-15 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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