Yamaha YQ50 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha YQ50 motorcycles pass the MOT 69.12% of the time, measured across 285 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.37% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 17.8 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 69.12% 197 of 285

Fixed at the station 7.37% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 14,530 miles

Average age at test 16.68 years old

Engine 49cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Yamaha YQ50 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 50.7% of failed tests on this model.
Then check less than 1.0 mm thick and not working on dipped beam, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has a serious fluid leak (12.6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 14,530 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	69.93%		143
16+ years	68.42%		133

Why the Yamaha YQ50 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	50.7%	34
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	23.9%	16
3	Not working on dipped beam	19.4%	13
4	Has a serious fluid leak	17.9%	12
5	Not working on main beam	14.9%	10
6	Has negligible damping effect	13.4%	9
7	Too high	11.9%	8
8	Unable to be tested	11.9%	8
9	Insecure	10.4%	7
10	Contaminated	9%	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	Has a serious fluid leak	12.6%	36
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	7.4%	21
3	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	7.4%	21
4	Tread not clearly visible	5.6%	16
5	Has negligible damping effect	5.3%	15
6	Excessively stiff or notchy	4.2%	12
7	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	3.5%	10
8	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	3.2%	9
9	Has excessive play	2.8%	8
10	Has excessive wear or free play	2.8%	8

Yamaha YQ50 for sale

No Yamaha YQ50 in stock at the moment - 83 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Used Yamaha YQ50 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
Piaggio VESPA 49cc · 48-50cc	1,852	84.23%	9,941
Piaggio ZIP · 51cc	1,179	76.34%	9,489
Peugeot KISBEE · 54cc	1,096	72.72%	9,978
Honda NSC 49cc · 49-50cc	1,005	82.29%	12,610
Peugeot SPEEDFIGHT 49cc · 49-50cc	781	70.17%	11,804
Lexmoto ECHO 50 E4 · 50cc	530	61.51%	6,253

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

Yamaha YQ50 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha YQ50?+

69.12% of Yamaha YQ50 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 285 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha YQ50?+

Not working, which appears in 50.7% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Yamaha YQ50 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 68.42%, against 69.93% 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.