BMW K 1200 S

1157cc Petrol Class 2

#489 of 5426 overall #26 of 109 BMWs #299 of 2787 other bikes

91.9%

first-time pass rate

4.7%

failed outright

17,774

median miles at test

621

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2017

The K 1200 S's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.3 points since 2008, 84.6% to 83.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the K 1200 S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage K 1200 S passes first time 93.5% of the time; by 40k that's 90.0%.

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 K 1200 S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	12	27.3	0.5×
brakes	9	20.5	0.3×
lighting and signalling	8	18.2	0.2×
tyres and wheels	7	15.9	0.6×
reg plates and vin	4	9.1	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	3	6.8	0.4×
driving controls	1	2.3	0.7×

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 K 1200 S beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 K 1200 S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (95.3% pass). Weakest: 2004 (86.7%).

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 K 1200 S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW K 1200 S reliable?

The BMW K 1200 S is more reliable than average for its class: 91.9% of its 621 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #489 of 5426 models.

What does a K 1200 S fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 27% of all defects recorded against failed K 1200 S tests.

What is the best year of K 1200 S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (95.3%) and 2004 worst (86.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a K 1200 S last?

The median K 1200 S shows 17,774 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 90.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.