Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2006 Yamaha Mt 03?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2006 Yamaha Mt 03?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2006 Yamaha Mt 03?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2006 Yamaha Mt 03 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 212 vehicles, the 2006 Yamaha Mt 03 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 86%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2006 Yamaha Mt 03?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2006 Yamaha Mt 03 are: Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (67.3% of vehicles), Drive chain slightly loose (58.2% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (53.9% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2006 Yamaha Mt 03?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Yamaha Mt 03 (2006)

212 real MOT outcomes analysed • 86% first-time pass rate

2006 Yamaha Mt 03

CarHunch analysed 212 real MOT records for the 2006 Yamaha Mt 03. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2006 MT-03 falls slightly short of the UK average with a 75.9% first-time pass rate, suggesting these bikes are a bit more prone to teething issues than typical motorcycles—though the 14.1% dangerous defect rate isn't alarming. With notably low mileage for their age (median 10,414 miles), these machines appear to have been ridden sparingly, which should mean less wear than you'd expect on a 18-year-old bike.

The average 1.46 failures and 4.9 advisories per vehicle point to minor maintenance niggles rather than structural problems—typical corrosion, brake wear, and lighting issues on older bikes. If you're considering one, budget for a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified technician to catch the advisories early; the good news is that low mileage and a middle-of-the-road reliability score suggest you're buying potential rather than inherited problems.

We have limited data for the 2006 Yamaha Mt 03 — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

86%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

14.2%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.46

Over 9.4 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

10k

Middle half: 7k–16k

For context

These stats describe 212 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 212 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 67.3%

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre valve stem slightly damaged · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Lighting 58.2%

Drive chain slightly loose · Rear reflector on motorcycle missing · Headlamp aim too high

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Exhaust & emissions 37%

Exhaust noisy

Brake wear 23%

Front Roller brake test indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort · Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 17%

Drive chain sprocket carrier worn but not considered excessive · Drive chain worn but not considered excessive · Drive chain excessively loose

Suspension & steering 11.5%

Steering headbearing has slight free play

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2006.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 212 Yamaha Mt 03 cars.

Before you buy a 2006 Yamaha Mt 03

Based on MOT data from 212 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 14.2% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (100%)	211	85.9%	1.47

Colour Breakdown

Based on 1,003 Yamaha Mt 03 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 41.9%

420

White 18.7%

188

Red 15.3%

153

Green 11.9%

119

Yellow 5.9%

Orange 4.3%

Blue 2.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2006 Yamaha Mt 03 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

10,414

typical

6,502

low mileage

15,896

high mileage

Half of all 2006 Yamaha Mt 03 vehicles fall between 6,502 and 15,896 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 6,502 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 6,502–15,896 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2006 Yamaha Mt 03s sit.

⚠ Over 21,459 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2006 Yamaha Mt 03 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 44% of 2006 Yamaha Mt 03s are still active.

Numbers are declining — 53 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (44% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

9.4

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.46

Avg failures per vehicle

4.9

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Yamaha Mt 03: All Mt 03 years → Which year to buy? →

2007 2008 2009

Or browse all models: Yamaha →

Compare with another model

See how the 2006 Yamaha Mt 03 stacks up against a rival.

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