Yamaha Virago MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 12,004 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 17.0%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Yamaha Virago MOT Reliability Overview
The Yamaha Virago is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 12,004 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 22 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 83.0% and a failure rate of 17.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Yamaha Virago earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Yamaha Virago presents for MOT with approximately 21,059 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2002 models achieve the highest pass rate at 89.2%, while 2003 models have the lowest at 66.7%. This 22.5 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Yamaha Virago is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 7.7% 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 brakes at 5.5%. Motorcycle steering and suspension rounds out the top three at 5.3%. 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
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 5 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Yamaha Virago vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 23 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Yamaha Virago. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 12 to 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Yamaha Virago shows a relatively stable failure rate after warranty — the change of 0% is negligible. Peak failure occurs at age 19 (18.3% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
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 | 8.5% | 1,018 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 6.3% | 756 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Brakes | 6.0% | 717 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 4.5% | 546 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 3.2% | 390 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.0% | 360 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 1.6% | 197 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Suspension | 1.3% | 159 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 1.1% | 134 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Tyres | 0.9% | 111 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.8% | 93 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.7% | 84 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.6% | 70 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Wheels | 0.5% | 65 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Drive System | 0.5% | 59 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 21,059 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 | 4.03 | 8.5% | 1,018 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 2.99 | 6.3% | 756 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 2.84 | 6.0% | 717 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 2.16 | 4.5% | 546 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 1.54 | 3.2% | 390 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.42 | 3.0% | 360 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.78 | 1.6% | 197 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.63 | 1.3% | 159 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.53 | 1.1% | 134 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.44 | 0.9% | 111 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.37 | 0.8% | 93 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.33 | 0.7% | 84 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.28 | 0.6% | 70 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 0.26 | 0.5% | 65 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.23 | 0.5% | 59 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Yamaha Virago has 21,059 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 Virago has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 8.07% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Yamaha Virago MOT Data
The Yamaha Virago is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 12,004 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 22 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 83.0% and a failure rate of 17.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Yamaha Virago 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 brakes 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 Virago is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 7.7% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 7.7% of MOT failures on the Yamaha Virago. 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 brakes — 5.5% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 5.5% of MOT failures on the Yamaha Virago. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Motorcycle steering and suspension — 5.3% of failures
Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 5.3% of MOT failures on the Yamaha Virago. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha Virago?
Based on 12,004 MOT tests in our database, the Yamaha Virago has an overall pass rate of 83.0% (17.0% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Yamaha Virago?
The top 3 reasons a Yamaha Virago fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (7.7%), 2. Motorcycle brakes (5.5%), 3. Motorcycle steering and suspension (5.3%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Yamaha Virago reliable?
With a 17.0% MOT failure rate, the Virago is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Yamaha Virago?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (7.7%); Motorcycle brakes (5.5%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (5.3%). 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.