Yamaha XS650
Real ownership data from 1,580 UK XS650 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common XS650 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | major | 11.6% |
| Other | major | 9.6% |
| Chain and sprockets | user entered | 9.3% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 7.1% |
| Wheels | major | 7% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 6.6% |
| Fluid leaks | fail | 4.8% |
| Electrical | major | 4.8% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is lights and indicators.
XS650 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 | 5 | 9,564 mi | 62 | 100% |
| 2020 | 7 | 18,250 mi | 33 | 87.5% |
| 2019 | 15 | 8,976 mi | 211 | 67.86% |
| 2018 | 24 | 12,798 mi | 619 | 88.1% |
| 2017 | 27 | 12,030 mi | 224 | 85.42% |
| 2016 | 23 | 11,589 mi | 264 | 78.43% |
| 2015 | 32 | 12,848 mi | 170 | 86.52% |
| 2014 | 17 | 16,497 mi | 136 | 86.96% |
| 2013 | 10 | 12,446 mi | 461 | 76% |
| 2012 | 9 | 15,736 mi | 179 | 80% |
| 2011 | 9 | 13,342 mi | 212 | 93.55% |
| 2010 | 8 | 16,126 mi | 194 | 88.89% |
| 2007 | 5 | 5,582 mi | 99 | 83.33% |
| 2006 | 5 | 9,929 mi | 65 | 86.96% |
| 2005 | 8 | 12,356 mi | 142 | 87.18% |
| 2001 | 11 | 16,688 mi | 281 | 83.53% |
| 2000 | 14 | 23,098 mi | 379 | 83.64% |
| 1999 | 19 | 16,683 mi | 128 | 80.85% |
| 1998 | 38 | 18,986 mi | 212 | 87.08% |
| 1997 | 52 | 18,878 mi | 325 | 85.88% |
XS650 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha XS650?
Across 1,580 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are suspension (11.6% of all recorded faults), other (9.6% of all recorded faults), chain and sprockets (9.3% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha XS650?
The median Yamaha XS650 in the UK has covered 15,662 miles, and typically rides about 232 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 3,722 and 26,923 miles.
Is the Yamaha XS650 reliable?
83.62% of Yamaha XS650 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.14 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,580 Yamaha XS650 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.