ARIEL RED HUNTER

350cc Petrol Class 2

#433 of 5426 overall #6 of 10 ARIELs #267 of 2787 other bikes

92.2%

first-time pass rate

2.3%

failed outright

8,332

median miles at test

1,415

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2012

The RED HUNTER's first-time pass rate has risen 2.9 points since 2005, 90.2% to 93.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage RED HUNTER passes first time 93.1% of the time; by 50k that's 90.7%.

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 RED HUNTER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	51	57.3	0.3×
steering and suspension	14	15.7	0.2×
brakes	8	9	0.1×
tyres and wheels	7	7.9	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	3	3.4	0.3×
body and structure	2	2.2	0.3×
drive system	2	2.2	0.2×
reg plates and vin	1	1.1	0.1×
driving controls	1	1.1	0.3×

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 RED HUNTER beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, YAMAHA RD350).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k 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 RED HUNTER.

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 (88.2%).

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 RED HUNTER FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ARIEL RED HUNTER reliable?

The ARIEL RED HUNTER is more reliable than average for its class: 92.2% of its 1,415 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #433 of 5426 models.

What does a RED HUNTER fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 57% of all defects recorded against failed RED HUNTER tests.

What is the best year of RED HUNTER to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1959-registered examples do best (100.0%) and 1957 worst (88.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RED HUNTER last?

The median RED HUNTER shows 8,332 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 90.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.