Yamaha XT 660 X MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha XT 660 X motorcycles pass the MOT 83.45% of the time, measured across 284 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.69% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 3.4 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 83.45% 237 of 284
Fixed at the station 6.69% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 19,979 miles
Average age at test 17.24 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 46.4% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 91.11% of 11-15 year old examples pass, against 79.9% at 16+ years - a gap of 11.2 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 (13.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 19,979 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 91.11% 90
16+ years 79.9% 194

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 46.4% 13
2 Does not conform to the specified requirements 25% 7
3 Has a serious fluid leak 17.9% 5
4 Missing 17.9% 5
5 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 17.9% 5
6 Flashing more than 120 times a minute 14.3% 4
7 Insecure 14.3% 4
8 Less than 1.0 mm thick 14.3% 4
9 Obviously incorrectly positioned 14.3% 4
10 Not working on main beam 10.7% 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 13.4% 38
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 4.9% 14
3 Significantly and obviously worn 4.2% 12
4 Has a serious fluid leak 3.5% 10
5 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3.5% 10
6 Has excessive play 2.5% 7
7 In such a condition that it is seriously weakened 2.5% 7
8 Worn to excess 2.5% 7
9 Has a major leak of exhaust gases 2.1% 6
10 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.1% 6

Yamaha XT 660 X for sale

No Yamaha XT 660 X 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
Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc 5,400 89.76% 19,444
Honda NC · 741cc 5,311 89.53% 22,765
Suzuki GSF600 · 600cc 4,890 80% 29,308
Honda CBR600F · 599cc 4,710 85.56% 30,651
Kawasaki ZX-6R · 599-636cc 4,510 81.62% 26,019
Suzuki SV650 · 646cc 3,834 80.99% 27,644

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?+
83.45% of Yamaha XT 660 X MOT tests end in a pass, based on 284 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha XT 660 X?+
Not working, which appears in 46.4% 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 79.9%, against 91.11% 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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