Yamaha XZ550
Real ownership data from 57 UK XZ550 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common XZ550 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | fail | 10.3% |
| Brakes | fail | 6.3% |
| Suspension | major | 3.3% |
| Other | fail | 3% |
| Fluid leaks | user entered | 2.6% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 2.6% |
| Electrical | fail | 2.6% |
| Tyres | fail | 2.2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is exhaust and emissions.
XZ550 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 9 | 23,446 mi | 874 | 82.5% |
| 1983 | 10 | 26,127 mi | 569 | 73.81% |
| 1982 | 23 | 21,880 mi | 281 | 83.78% |
XZ550 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha XZ550?
Across 57 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (10.3% of all recorded faults), brakes (6.3% of all recorded faults), suspension (3.3% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha XZ550?
The median Yamaha XZ550 in the UK has covered 23,446 miles, and typically rides about 409 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 14,000 and 33,939 miles.
Is the Yamaha XZ550 reliable?
80.71% of Yamaha XZ550 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 1.21 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 57 Yamaha XZ550 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.