Yamaha XT1200 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha XT1200 motorcycles pass the MOT 91.17% of the time, measured across 283 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.47% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Yamaha XT, 1199-1200cc.

Better than average: 4.3 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 91.17% 258 of 283
Fixed at the station 2.47% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 30,902 miles
Average age at test 10.26 years old
Engine 1,199cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Yamaha XT1200 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm - it accounts for 27.8% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check less than 1.0 mm thick and not working, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is excessively stiff or notchy (4.6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 30,902 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 91.26% 206
11-15 years 90.79% 76

Why the Yamaha XT1200 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 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 27.8% 5
2 Less than 1.0 mm thick 16.7% 3
3 Not working 16.7% 3
4 Has a serious fluid leak 11.1% 2
5 Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps 11.1% 2
6 Too low 11.1% 2
7 Contaminated 5.6% 1
8 Excessively stiff or notchy 5.6% 1
9 Fractured 5.6% 1
10 Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords 5.6% 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 Excessively stiff or notchy 4.6% 13
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 4.6% 13
3 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3.9% 11
4 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.8% 8
5 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 2.8% 8
6 Significantly and obviously worn 2.1% 6
7 Tread not clearly visible 2.1% 6
8 Has a serious fluid leak 1.4% 4
9 In such a condition that it is seriously weakened 1.4% 4
10 Excessively corroded 0.7% 2

Yamaha XT1200 for sale

No Yamaha XT1200 in stock at the moment - 86 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
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc 12,456 90.8% 12,824
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

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

Yamaha XT1200 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha XT1200?+
91.17% of Yamaha XT1200 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 283 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha XT1200?+
Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, which appears in 27.8% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Yamaha XT1200 get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 90.79%, against 91.26% 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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