Yamaha XJ
Real ownership data from 1,095 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 10.2% |
| Brakes | major | 4.8% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 4% |
| Suspension | major | 3.1% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 1.9% |
| Chain and sprockets | major | 1.8% |
| Other | fail | 1.5% |
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 1.2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is tyres.
XJ mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 6 | 7,473 mi | 476 | 97.5% |
| 2016 | 23 | 10,019 mi | 1,077 | 89.23% |
| 2015 | 64 | 20,647 mi | 1,619 | 89.13% |
| 2014 | 385 | 18,073 mi | 1,556 | 88.71% |
| 2013 | 159 | 16,557 mi | 1,424 | 87.04% |
| 2012 | 22 | 16,248 mi | 2,450 | 83.19% |
| 2011 | 21 | 13,129 mi | 1,799 | 84% |
| 2010 | 39 | 14,962 mi | 1,351 | 85.66% |
| 2009 | 8 | 13,062 mi | 1,508 | 81.25% |
| 1998 | 11 | 39,992 mi | 1,008 | 70.83% |
| 1997 | 28 | 24,096 mi | 944 | 73.96% |
| 1996 | 36 | 32,764 mi | 1,005 | 79.12% |
| 1995 | 40 | 34,731 mi | 936 | 77.24% |
| 1994 | 20 | 27,552 mi | 1,126 | 73.02% |
| 1993 | 22 | 36,241 mi | 1,456 | 68.21% |
| 1992 | 37 | 32,116 mi | 1,063 | 75.22% |
| 1991 | 45 | 30,833 mi | 672 | 76.8% |
| 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 1,095 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (10.2% of all recorded faults), brakes (4.8% of all recorded faults), tyres (4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha XJ?
The median Yamaha XJ in the UK has covered 21,947 miles, and typically rides about 1,285 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 11,428 and 36,388 miles.
Is the Yamaha XJ reliable?
83.45% of Yamaha XJ MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.82 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,095 Yamaha XJ motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.