Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere?

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 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere?

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 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere?

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 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere reliable?

Based on MOT data from 101 vehicles, the 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere has a first-time MOT pass rate of 90.3%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere?

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 Xt 660 Z Tenere (2012)

101 real MOT outcomes analysed • 90.3% first-time pass rate

2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere

CarHunch analysed 101 real MOT records for the 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere. 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 Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Compare Models

This 2012 Yamaha XT 660 Z Ténéré sits right at the UK average with a 79.6% first-time pass rate, and while dangerous defects have affected nearly 19% of examples, that's not dramatically alarming for a bike this age. The median score of 50 suggests mixed reliability across the cohort, so condition varies considerably between individual machines.

These bikes average just 15,732 miles for their age, which is genuinely low and suggests many have been weekend or leisure machines rather than daily commuters. With 0.85 failures per vehicle and 3.3 advisories, you're looking at straightforward wear-and-tear issues rather than systemic design problems—but inspect the specific failure history of any machine you're considering, because the 50-point median score tells you there's real variation in how individual examples have held up.

We have limited data for the 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere — 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

90.3%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

18.8%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.85

Over 7.7 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

14k

Middle half: 9k–19k

For context

These stats describe 101 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.

Average reliability — agree?

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 101 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere cars.

Before you buy a 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere

Based on MOT data from 101 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 18.8% 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 (96%)	97	90%	0.88

Mileage Distribution

Most 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere 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.

13,767

typical

8,709

low mileage

18,954

high mileage

Half of all 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere vehicles fall between 8,709 and 18,954 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 8,709 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.

✓ 8,709–18,954 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Teneres sit.

⚠ Over 25,587 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 69% of 2012 Yamaha Xt 660 Z Teneres are still active.

51 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 69% of the peak remain.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2015–2025.
* 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

7.7

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.85

Avg failures per vehicle

3.3

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Yamaha Xt 660 Z Tenere: All Xt 660 Z Tenere years → Which year to buy? →

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Average reliability — agree?