Yamaha YZF-R
Real ownership data from 2,765 UK YZF-R motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common YZF-R problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 14.4% |
| Other | major | 4.4% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 4.3% |
| Chain and sprockets | major | 2.3% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 2.3% |
| Suspension | major | 1.9% |
| Electrical | major | 1.5% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 1.2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is other.
YZF-R 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 30 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 57 | — | — | 100% |
| 2023 | 75 | 3,604 mi | — | 82.76% |
| 2022 | 26 | 4,771 mi | 1,436 | 82.61% |
| 2021 | 132 | 6,358 mi | 1,402 | 90.69% |
| 2020 | 82 | 6,949 mi | 1,462 | 87.57% |
| 2019 | 138 | 6,769 mi | 1,057 | 90.38% |
| 2018 | 166 | 8,559 mi | 1,078 | 83.5% |
| 2017 | 124 | 9,063 mi | 1,106 | 86.84% |
| 2016 | 219 | 11,089 mi | 1,125 | 86.62% |
| 2015 | 271 | 10,236 mi | 1,041 | 84.46% |
| 2014 | 9 | 1 mi | — | 92.86% |
| 2013 | 5 | 1,777 mi | 250 | 75% |
| 2012 | 7 | 31 mi | 559 | 73.91% |
| 2010 | 5 | — | — | 100% |
| 2009 | 12 | 15,882 mi | 1,592 | 82% |
| 2008 | 16 | 2,558 mi | 87 | 88% |
| 2007 | 20 | 3,692 mi | 127 | 83.72% |
| 2006 | 12 | 2,119 mi | 297 | 83.67% |
YZF-R questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha YZF-R?
Across 2,765 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (14.4% of all recorded faults), other (4.4% of all recorded faults), brakes (4.3% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha YZF-R?
The median Yamaha YZF-R in the UK has covered 9,376 miles, and typically rides about 970 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 4,191 and 18,348 miles.
Is the Yamaha YZF-R reliable?
84.37% of Yamaha YZF-R MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.84 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 2,765 Yamaha YZF-R motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.