Yamaha V-Max
Real ownership data from 4,228 UK V-Max motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common V-Max problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 17.8% |
| Suspension | major | 14.3% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 7% |
| Fork seals | fail | 5% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 3.9% |
| Fluid leaks | major | 2.7% |
| Other | dangerous | 2.7% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 2.3% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is electrical.
V-Max mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 | 20,835 mi | 359 | 80.95% |
| 2017 | 13 | 3,161 mi | 333 | 98.48% |
| 2016 | 50 | 7,590 mi | 573 | 93.45% |
| 2015 | 65 | 8,534 mi | 654 | 94.16% |
| 2014 | 6 | 7,590 mi | 648 | 100% |
| 2013 | 7 | 12,310 mi | 2,136 | 96.97% |
| 2012 | 19 | 12,584 mi | 820 | 82.72% |
| 2011 | 10 | 13,033 mi | 803 | 90.79% |
| 2010 | 23 | 16,732 mi | 1,122 | 89.01% |
| 2009 | 98 | 9,859 mi | 596 | 93.18% |
| 2008 | 44 | 12,157 mi | 924 | 89.07% |
| 2007 | 39 | 13,486 mi | 689 | 87.29% |
| 2006 | 39 | 17,256 mi | 586 | 88.01% |
| 2005 | 65 | 11,804 mi | 657 | 88.41% |
| 2004 | 52 | 18,256 mi | 756 | 86.12% |
| 2003 | 125 | 15,904 mi | 699 | 88.42% |
| 2002 | 130 | 20,245 mi | 658 | 87.39% |
| 2001 | 154 | 16,846 mi | 634 | 86.67% |
| 2000 | 269 | 17,948 mi | 655 | 86.76% |
| 1999 | 414 | 19,436 mi | 596 | 85.69% |
V-Max questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha V-Max?
Across 4,228 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brake discs and pads (17.8% of all recorded faults), suspension (14.3% of all recorded faults), frame and structure (7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha V-Max?
The median Yamaha V-Max in the UK has covered 20,716 miles, and typically rides about 586 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 11,379 and 31,848 miles.
Is the Yamaha V-Max reliable?
85.76% of Yamaha V-Max MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.01 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 4,228 Yamaha V-Max motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.