Yamaha YZF-R1
Real ownership data from 33,497 UK YZF-R1 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common YZF-R1 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Wheels | dangerous | 17.1% |
| Frame and structure | major | 15.5% |
| Fork seals | major | 9.8% |
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 5.5% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 5.3% |
| Exhaust and emissions | dangerous | 2% |
| Suspension | major | 1.8% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 1.8% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is tyres.
YZF-R1 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 68 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 181 | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 213 | 3,181 mi | 2,086 | 90% |
| 2022 | 198 | 4,578 mi | 1,379 | 93.15% |
| 2021 | 225 | 5,560 mi | 854 | 92.39% |
| 2020 | 297 | 6,442 mi | 994 | 91.15% |
| 2019 | 246 | 7,453 mi | 999 | 89.62% |
| 2018 | 297 | 9,237 mi | 1,114 | 92.43% |
| 2017 | 391 | 8,568 mi | 922 | 92.57% |
| 2016 | 715 | 9,530 mi | 909 | 91.82% |
| 2015 | 603 | 11,186 mi | 1,099 | 89.94% |
| 2014 | 304 | 11,405 mi | 971 | 87% |
| 2013 | 300 | 12,318 mi | 1,044 | 88.36% |
| 2012 | 435 | 13,372 mi | 997 | 87.62% |
| 2011 | 508 | 15,058 mi | 1,113 | 86.19% |
| 2010 | 717 | 15,321 mi | 1,118 | 86.82% |
| 2009 | 1,563 | 15,557 mi | 1,124 | 86.65% |
| 2008 | 1,546 | 16,498 mi | 1,046 | 86.83% |
| 2007 | 2,084 | 16,729 mi | 1,094 | 85.53% |
YZF-R1 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha YZF-R1?
Across 33,497 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are wheels (17.1% of all recorded faults), frame and structure (15.5% of all recorded faults), fork seals (9.8% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha YZF-R1?
The median Yamaha YZF-R1 in the UK has covered 19,040 miles, and typically rides about 993 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 11,374 and 28,372 miles.
Is the Yamaha YZF-R1 reliable?
85.19% of Yamaha YZF-R1 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 33,497 Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.