Yamaha XS850
Real ownership data from 170 UK XS850 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common XS850 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | dangerous | 13.8% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 11.9% |
| Other | fail | 5.3% |
| Tyres | fail | 4.6% |
| Suspension | fail | 3.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 3.6% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 2.6% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 1.4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brakes.
XS850 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 6 | 26,415 mi | 125 | 79.31% |
| 1992 | 6 | 42,596 mi | 336 | 66.67% |
| 1984 | 18 | 41,749 mi | 259 | 78.95% |
| 1983 | 8 | 59,410 mi | 127 | 78.72% |
| 1982 | 7 | 38,263 mi | 386 | 75.61% |
| 1981 | 26 | 38,326 mi | 505 | 91.03% |
| 1980 | 58 | 34,993 mi | 246 | 85.81% |
| 1978 | 5 | 34,802 mi | 523 | 77.78% |
XS850 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha XS850?
Across 170 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (13.8% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (11.9% of all recorded faults), other (5.3% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha XS850?
The median Yamaha XS850 in the UK has covered 34,469 miles, and typically rides about 297 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 21,589 and 48,087 miles.
Is the Yamaha XS850 reliable?
81.96% of Yamaha XS850 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.96 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 170 Yamaha XS850 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.