ARIEL HUNTMASTER

650cc Petrol Class 2

#153 of 5426 overall #1 of 10 ARIELs #96 of 2787 other bikes

94.1%

first-time pass rate

2.6%

failed outright

16,476

median miles at test

623

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The HUNTMASTER's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.2 points since 2006, 96.7% to 95.5%.

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 92.2% of the time; by 50k that's 94.0%.

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	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	40.1×

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 SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k tests

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.

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 (91.9%).

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 623 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #153 of 5426 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 (91.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a HUNTMASTER last?

The median HUNTMASTER shows 16,476 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 94.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.