BMW K100RS

998cc Petrol Class 2

#2306 of 5426 overall #83 of 109 BMWs #1441 of 2787 other bikes

85.7%

first-time pass rate

9.7%

failed outright

51,044

median miles at test

1,359

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2017

The K100RS's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.6 points since 2005, 97.5% to 93.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the K100RS's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage K100RS passes first time 94.8% of the time; by 50k that's 86.2%.

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 K100RS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	97	36.3	1.2×
steering and suspension	64	24	1.2×
lighting and signalling	53	19.9	0.8×
tyres and wheels	32	12	1.0×
body and structure	9	3.4	0.9×
driving controls	7	2.6	2.2×
lamps and reflectors	2	0.7	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	2	0.7	0.2×
reg plates and vin	1	0.4	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 K100RS beats 2 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 K100RS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1986 (90.1% pass). Weakest: 1991 (76.9%).

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 K100RS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW K100RS reliable?

The BMW K100RS is about average for its class: 85.7% of its 1,359 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2306 of 5426 models.

What does a K100RS fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed K100RS tests.

What is the best year of K100RS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (90.1%) and 1991 worst (76.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a K100RS last?

The median K100RS shows 51,044 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.