BENELLI 491

49cc Petrol Class 1

#4662 of 5426 overall #20 of 24 BENELLIs #223 of 455 moped bikes

71.0%

first-time pass rate

23.1%

failed outright

8,562

median miles at test

903

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2014

The 491's first-time pass rate has risen 4.6 points since 2005, 69.6% to 74.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the 491's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage 491 passes first time 76.3% of the time; by 20k that's 67.2%.

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 491

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	190	32.2	2.9×
steering and suspension	172	29.2	4.3×
brakes	82	13.9	1.5×
body and structure	46	7.8	8.8×
tyres and wheels	36	6.1	1.7×
fuel and exhaust	32	5.4	3.8×
reg plates and vin	15	2.5	2.7×
structure and attachments	6	1	0.6×
driving controls	6	1	2.8×
lamps and reflectors	5	0.8	0.4×

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 491 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 491.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (72.4% pass). Weakest: 2003 (64.2%).

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.

BENELLI 491 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BENELLI 491 reliable?

The BENELLI 491 is less reliable than average for its class: 71.0% of its 903 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4662 of 5426 models.

What does a 491 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed 491 tests.

What is the best year of 491 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (72.4%) and 2003 worst (64.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a 491 last?

The median 491 shows 8,562 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 67.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.