Yamaha V-star MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 425 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 13.6%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Yamaha V-star MOT Reliability Overview
The Yamaha V-star is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 425 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 3 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.4% and a failure rate of 13.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Yamaha V-star earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Yamaha V-star presents for MOT with approximately 13,100 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2007 models achieve the highest pass rate at 92.0%, while 2004 models have the lowest at 81.1%. This 10.9 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Yamaha V-star is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 6.6% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle lamps and reflectors at 3.8%. Motorcycle fuel and exhaust rounds out the top three at 3.1%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 7.5% | 32 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 3.8% | 16 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.8% | 16 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 3.5% | 15 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Brakes | 2.1% | 9 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 2.1% | 9 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 0.9% | 4 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Tyres | 0.7% | 3 |
| 9 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.7% | 3 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.5% | 2 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.5% | 2 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 0.5% | 2 |
| 13 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 0.2% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 13,100 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 5.75 | 7.5% | 32 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 2.87 | 3.8% | 16 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 2.87 | 3.8% | 16 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 2.69 | 3.5% | 15 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 1.62 | 2.1% | 9 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 1.62 | 2.1% | 9 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 0.72 | 0.9% | 4 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.54 | 0.7% | 3 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.54 | 0.7% | 3 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.36 | 0.5% | 2 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.36 | 0.5% | 2 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.36 | 0.5% | 2 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 0.18 | 0.2% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Yamaha V-star has 13,100 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Yamaha V-star has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 10.38% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Yamaha V-star MOT Data
The Yamaha V-star is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 425 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 3 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.4% and a failure rate of 13.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Yamaha V-star owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle lamps and reflectors for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific V-star is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 6.6% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 6.6% of MOT failures on the Yamaha V-star. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 3.8% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 3.8% of MOT failures on the Yamaha V-star. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Motorcycle fuel and exhaust — 3.1% of failures
Motorcycle fuel and exhaust issues account for 3.1% of MOT failures on the Yamaha V-star. Motorcycle fuel and exhaust issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha V-star?
Based on 425 MOT tests in our database, the Yamaha V-star has an overall pass rate of 86.4% (13.6% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Yamaha V-star?
The top 3 reasons a Yamaha V-star fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (6.6%), 2. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (3.8%), 3. Motorcycle fuel and exhaust (3.1%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Yamaha V-star reliable?
With a 13.6% MOT failure rate, the V-star is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Yamaha V-star?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (6.6%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (3.8%); Motorcycle fuel and exhaust (3.1%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.