Yamaha YZF600 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha YZF600 motorcycles pass the MOT 82.16% of the time, measured across 1,211 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.53% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 4.7 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 82.16% 995 of 1,211

Fixed at the station 5.53% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 31,763 miles

Average age at test 25.9 years old

Engine 599cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Yamaha YZF600 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with has a serious fluid leak - it accounts for 28.2% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working and missing, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (8.3% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 31,763 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	82.15%		1,210

Why the Yamaha YZF600 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	Has a serious fluid leak	28.2%	42
2	Not working	25.5%	38
3	Missing	21.5%	32
4	Excessively binding	16.1%	24
5	Contaminated	13.4%	20
6	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	10.1%	15
7	Insecure	8.1%	12
8	Too low	7.4%	11
9	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	6.7%	10
10	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	6.7%	10

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	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	8.3%	100
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	7.8%	94
3	Has a serious fluid leak	7.7%	93
4	Excessively binding	5.6%	68
5	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	5.5%	66
6	Excessively loose	4.1%	50
7	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	3.3%	40
8	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.2%	39
9	Worn to excess	2.7%	33
10	Tread not clearly visible	1.8%	22

Yamaha YZF600 for sale

No Yamaha YZF600 in stock at the moment - 83 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Used Yamaha YZF600 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
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 YZF600 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha YZF600?+

82.16% of Yamaha YZF600 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 1,211 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha YZF600?+

Has a serious fluid leak, which appears in 28.2% 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.