Yamaha XJ
Real ownership data from 1,096 UK XJ motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common XJ problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Steering and head bearings | major | 18.8% |
| Tyres | user entered | 9.2% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 9% |
| Brakes | minor | 7% |
| Lights and indicators | user entered | 4.3% |
| Fluid leaks | fail | 4.3% |
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 4% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is frame and structure.
XJ 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 6 | 7,473 mi | 476 | 97.62% |
| 2016 | 23 | 10,019 mi | 999 | 88.72% |
| 2015 | 64 | 21,120 mi | 1,619 | 89.18% |
| 2014 | 385 | 18,495 mi | 1,580 | 88.63% |
| 2013 | 160 | 16,598 mi | 1,423 | 87.06% |
| 2012 | 22 | 16,248 mi | 2,360 | 83.33% |
| 2011 | 21 | 13,129 mi | 1,801 | 84.13% |
| 2010 | 39 | 14,962 mi | 1,351 | 85.37% |
| 2009 | 8 | 13,062 mi | 1,508 | 81.54% |
| 1998 | 11 | 39,992 mi | 1,008 | 70.83% |
| 1997 | 28 | 24,096 mi | 944 | 74.14% |
| 1996 | 36 | 32,764 mi | 1,005 | 79.12% |
| 1995 | 40 | 34,731 mi | 936 | 77.24% |
| 1994 | 20 | 27,552 mi | 1,126 | 73.23% |
| 1993 | 22 | 36,241 mi | 1,456 | 68.39% |
| 1992 | 37 | 32,116 mi | 1,063 | 75.22% |
| 1991 | 45 | 30,833 mi | 672 | 76.62% |
| 1990 | 24 | 38,604 mi | 802 | 68.13% |
| 1989 | 20 | 35,494 mi | 924 | 71.43% |
| 1986 | 5 | 21,839 mi | 1,416 | 78.13% |
XJ questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha XJ?
Across 1,096 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are steering and head bearings (18.8% of all recorded faults), tyres (9.2% of all recorded faults), controls and cables (9% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha XJ?
The median Yamaha XJ in the UK has covered 22,042 miles, and typically rides about 1,312 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 11,605 and 36,527 miles.
Is the Yamaha XJ reliable?
83.46% of Yamaha XJ MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.05 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,096 Yamaha XJ motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.