BMW F800

798cc Petrol Class 2

#823 of 5426 overall #36 of 109 BMWs #502 of 2787 other bikes

BMW F800 — Photo: Samson Ng . D201@EAL · CC BY-SA 4.0

90.4%

first-time pass rate

5.5%

failed outright

15,660

median miles at test

60.0k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2025

The F800's first-time pass rate has risen 5.7 points since 2009, 85.4% to 91.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the F800's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage F800 passes first time 94.3% of the time; by 50k that's 83.8%.

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 F800

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,449	29.3	0.4×
steering and suspension	651	13.1	0.3×
suspension	608	12.3	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	541	10.9	0.5×
lighting and signalling	426	8.6	0.2×
tyres	351	7.1	0.8×
tyres and wheels	351	7.1	0.3×
steering	270	5.5	1.0×
structure and attachments	225	4.5	0.4×
drive system	81	1.6	0.1×

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 F800 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 TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 F800.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (96.2% pass). Weakest: 2006 (84.8%).

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.

BMW F800 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW F800 reliable?

The BMW F800 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.4% of its 59,990 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #823 of 5426 models.

What does a F800 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed F800 tests.

What is the best year of F800 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2020-registered examples do best (96.2%) and 2006 worst (84.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a F800 last?

The median F800 shows 15,660 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.