Yamaha YZ MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha YZ motorcycles pass the MOT 87.5% of the time, measured across 248 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.45% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 0.6 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 87.5% 217 of 248

Fixed at the station 6.45% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 1,744 miles

Average age at test 13.06 years old

Engine 184cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Yamaha YZ adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 66.7% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and has excessive play, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has excessive play (6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 1,744 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
3-5 years	86.15%	65
6-10 years	88.89%	63
16+ years	89.69%	97

Why the Yamaha YZ 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	Missing	66.7%	10
2	Does not conform to the specified requirements	26.7%	4
3	Has excessive play	26.7%	4
4	Not working	26.7%	4
5	Sound not in accordance with requirements	26.7%	4
6	Component pin or bush excessively worn	20%	3
7	Excessively loose	13.3%	2
8	Excessively stiff or notchy	13.3%	2
9	Has a serious fluid leak	13.3%	2
10	Incorrectly seated on the wheel rim	13.3%	2

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 excessive play	6%	15
2	Worn to excess	5.2%	13
3	Has a serious fluid leak	4.8%	12
4	Chain guard missing	3.6%	9
5	Excessively distorted	3.2%	8
6	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.2%	8
7	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	3.2%	8
8	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	2.4%	6
9	Sprocket worn to excess	2.4%	6
10	Excessively binding	2%	5

Yamaha YZ for sale

No Yamaha YZ in stock at the moment - 82 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Used Yamaha YZ 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 79-210cc · 79-210cc	8,363	85.42%	11,710
Yamaha YZF 124cc · 124-125cc	2,881	66.47%	21,679
Honda CBR 124-150cc · 124-150cc	2,111	73.52%	18,218
Yamaha MT 124cc · 124-125cc	1,422	68.64%	17,473
Piaggio PX 200 E · 193cc	897	90.64%	14,883
LML STAR · 134cc	670	87.16%	4,663

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

Yamaha YZ MOT questions

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

87.5% of Yamaha YZ MOT tests end in a pass, based on 248 tests in the DVSA dataset.

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

Missing, which appears in 66.7% of failed tests on this model.

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

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 89.69%, against 86.15% for examples 3-5 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.