BENELLI VELVET

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4650 of 5426 overall #19 of 24 BENELLIs #337 of 734 commuter bikes

71.1%

first-time pass rate

22.1%

failed outright

11,828

median miles at test

1,049

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The VELVET's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.3 points since 2006, 72.3% to 70.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VELVET passes first time 78.2% of the time; by 30k that's 53.1%.

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 VELVET

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	203	30.7	4.0×
lighting and signalling	189	28.6	2.8×
brakes	125	18.9	2.0×
tyres and wheels	58	8.8	2.4×
lamps and reflectors	25	3.8	0.8×
suspension	19	2.9	1.6×
fuel and exhaust	15	2.3	1.8×
structure and attachments	10	1.5	0.8×
tyres	9	1.4	1.3×
reg plates and vin	8	1.2	1.3×

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 VELVET beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YBR 125, HONDA CG125, HONDA CBF125).

YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests HONDA CG125 72.2% pass · 89.3k tests HONDA CBF125 73.3% pass · 84.4k tests GILERA RUNNER 70.8% pass · 69.9k 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 VELVET.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2002 (79.7% pass). Weakest: 1999 (44.4%).

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 VELVET FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BENELLI VELVET reliable?

The BENELLI VELVET is less reliable than average for its class: 71.1% of its 1,049 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4650 of 5426 models.

What does a VELVET fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 31% of all defects recorded against failed VELVET tests.

What is the best year of VELVET to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2002-registered examples do best (79.7%) and 1999 worst (44.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VELVET last?

The median VELVET shows 11,828 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 53.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.