Photo: AVMOTO, CC BY-SA 4.0
Yamaha
1,394 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Fjrs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 16.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
94.4%
Pass-after-fix
1.9%
Fail
3.5%
Avg miles
26,025
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 1,387 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old Fjr examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
94.5%
Fail
3.6%
PRS
1.8%
Avg mileage at test
27,813 mi
Pass
94.4%
Fail
3.1%
PRS
2.1%
Avg mileage at test
22,706 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 974 MOT tests, the Fjr returns 94.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A non-functioning shock absorber and brake pads worn below 1.0 mm round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 24,654, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
11 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
7 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Brake efficiency below minimum requirement
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
4 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
On a motorcycle with two front or rear wheels, there is inadequate braking effort at a wheel
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Steering head bearings have excessive wear or play
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy Yamaha Fjr makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
94.5%
Pre-2018 registration
the older band (pre-2018) climbs to 94.5% — a 0.0-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a serious fluid leak, tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
94.4%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 94.4% pass rate against a fleet average of 94.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, has a serious fluid leak, and the less effective brake control does not…. Average mileage on test for this band is 22,706 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: pre-2018 (94.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (94.4% pass). That's a 0.0-point spread across 484 older tests and 903 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Recall history
The Fjr has 3 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Fjr and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
