Yamaha YZF R1 04 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha YZF R1 04 motorcycles pass the MOT 84.16% of the time, measured across 303 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.93% 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 84.16% 255 of 303
Fixed at the station 6.93% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 26,177 miles
Average age at test 20.79 years old
Engine 998cc MOT class 2
For sale now 0 Yamaha YZF R1 04 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 44.4% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check missing and inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, the next two most common reasons.
  • 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 (9.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 26,177 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
16+ years 84.16% 303

Why the Yamaha YZF R1 04 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 44.4% 12
2 Missing 25.9% 7
3 Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps 22.2% 6
4 Flashing more than 120 times a minute 18.5% 5
5 Does not conform to the specified requirements 14.8% 4
6 Insecure 14.8% 4
7 Obviously incorrectly positioned 14.8% 4
8 Too high 14.8% 4
9 Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) 11.1% 3
10 Has a serious fluid leak 11.1% 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 9.9% 30
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 6.6% 20
3 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 3% 9
4 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3% 9
5 Excessively loose 2% 6
6 Has an excessively worn bush 1.7% 5
7 Chain guard missing 1.3% 4
8 Component pin or bush excessively worn 1.3% 4
9 Has a serious fluid leak 1.3% 4
10 Pin or bush excessively worn 1.3% 4

Yamaha YZF R1 04 for sale

No Yamaha YZF R1 04 in stock at the moment - 84 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 YZF R1 04 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha YZF R1 04?+
84.16% of Yamaha YZF R1 04 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 303 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha YZF R1 04?+
Not working, which appears in 44.4% of failed tests on this model.
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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