What year Yamaha R6 is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 2003 Yamaha R6 has the highest pass rate at 86.1%, out of 1,097 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Yamaha R6 MOT failures?

The most common Yamaha R6 MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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Yamaha R6 — Reliability by Year

8,595 vehicles · MOT data 1999–2004 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Yamaha R6 was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

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Best pass rate year

2003

86.1% pass rate · 1,097 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1999

82.1% pass rate · 2,559 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
2004	84.5%	14,011 mi	326
2003	86.1%	13,639 mi	1,097
2002	84.7%	15,026 mi	969
2001	83.6%	16,733 mi	1,204
2000	82.9%	18,053 mi	2,440
1999	82.1%	19,986 mi	2,559

Which year Yamaha R6 is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 13,639 miles (newest year) to 19,986 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Yamaha R6.

See the buying guide →

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Check any UK registration — free MOT history and risk insights.