BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ ARIEL/HUNTMASTER
Model report · 2005–2025

ARIEL HUNTMASTER

650cc Petrol Class 2
#153 of 5428 overall #1 of 10 ARIELs #97 of 2788 other bikes
94.1%
first-time pass rate
2.5%
failed outright
16,267
median miles at test
631
MOT tests, 2005–2025

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The HUNTMASTER's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.1 points since 2006, 96.7% to 95.6%.

89%94%98%2006: 96.7% pass (91 tests)2007: 95.5% pass (88 tests)2008: 92.6% pass (81 tests)2009: 95.3% pass (85 tests)2010: 92.9% pass (84 tests)2011: 90.4% pass (83 tests)2012: 95.6% pass (68 tests)20062012

Pass rate by mileage

how the HUNTMASTER's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage HUNTMASTER passes first time 92.4% of the time; by 50k that's 94.0%.

91%95%99%0k: 92.4% pass (250 tests)10k: 94.8% pass (96 tests)20k: 94.4% pass (72 tests)30k: 97.8% pass (46 tests)40k: 96.1% pass (51 tests)50k: 94.0% pass (50 tests)0k30k50k

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a HUNTMASTER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
steering and suspension
11 36.7 0.4×
brakes
8 26.7 0.2×
lighting and signalling
8 26.7 0.2×
tyres and wheels
2 6.7 0.2×
sidecar
1 3.3 39.6×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the HUNTMASTER beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k tests Compare head-to-head →

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the HUNTMASTER.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Huntmaster

More ARIEL models

other ARIEL bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
ARIEL ARROW 93.7% pass · 1,615 tests
ARIEL RED HUNTER 92.2% pass · 1,422 tests
ARIEL LEADER 92.7% pass · 1,135 tests
ARIEL SQUARE FOUR 91.4% pass · 555 tests
ARIEL NH 92.4% pass · 342 tests
ARIEL VH 88.9% pass · 307 tests

See all ARIEL models →

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1959 (100.0% pass). Weakest: 1957 (92.0%).

90%95%100%1954: 94.1% pass (51 tests)1955: 97.3% pass (74 tests)1956: 93.0% pass (71 tests)1957: 92.0% pass (125 tests)1958: 93.8% pass (195 tests)1959: 100.0% pass (63 tests)195419571959

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

ARIEL HUNTMASTER FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ARIEL HUNTMASTER reliable?

The ARIEL HUNTMASTER is more reliable than average for its class: 94.1% of its 631 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #153 of 5428 models.

What does a HUNTMASTER fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 37% of all defects recorded against failed HUNTMASTER tests.

What is the best year of HUNTMASTER to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1959-registered examples do best (100.0%) and 1957 worst (92.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a HUNTMASTER last?

The median HUNTMASTER shows 16,267 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 94.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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