Yamaha Virago
Real ownership data from 9,536 UK Virago motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Virago problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | dangerous | 18% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 14.4% |
| Wheels | user entered | 11.8% |
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 6% |
| Lights and indicators | fail | 3.7% |
| Electrical | minor | 3.4% |
| Corrosion | fail | 3% |
| Tyres | major | 1.7% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is fuel system.
Virago 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11 | 9,253 mi | 771 | 89.66% |
| 2020 | 36 | 6,172 mi | 652 | 93.1% |
| 2019 | 43 | 7,982 mi | 1,322 | 90.36% |
| 2018 | 54 | 9,861 mi | 1,174 | 90.8% |
| 2017 | 49 | 9,295 mi | 1,172 | 90.12% |
| 2016 | 36 | 12,306 mi | 1,062 | 80% |
| 2015 | 34 | 11,621 mi | 818 | 93.98% |
| 2014 | 25 | 10,150 mi | 867 | 91.26% |
| 2013 | 77 | 11,810 mi | 970 | 90.1% |
| 2012 | 31 | 11,770 mi | 819 | 89.95% |
| 2011 | 30 | 12,798 mi | 1,264 | 92.28% |
| 2010 | 29 | 15,992 mi | 522 | 92.51% |
| 2009 | 107 | 19,040 mi | 1,014 | 90.25% |
| 2008 | 142 | 20,533 mi | 1,124 | 89.05% |
| 2007 | 162 | 20,190 mi | 1,066 | 89.08% |
| 2006 | 153 | 20,976 mi | 1,105 | 87.5% |
| 2005 | 118 | 21,526 mi | 1,054 | 87.59% |
| 2004 | 174 | 22,347 mi | 1,023 | 87.56% |
| 2003 | 328 | 17,975 mi | 911 | 84.23% |
| 2002 | 389 | 19,672 mi | 849 | 83.25% |
Virago questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha Virago?
Across 9,536 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are fuel system (18% of all recorded faults), frame and structure (14.4% of all recorded faults), wheels (11.8% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha Virago?
The median Yamaha Virago in the UK has covered 19,914 miles, and typically rides about 570 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 11,728 and 29,802 miles.
Is the Yamaha Virago reliable?
83.67% of Yamaha Virago 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 9,536 Yamaha Virago motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.