Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
BMW R Series: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which R Series years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 88.3% average, from 2,953 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1984 (94.2% of 137 tests). Lowest: 1990 (80.8% of 73). Years more than two points below the model average: 1988, 1990, 1993, 1996.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (88.3%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 52 | 90.4% | +2.1 pp |
| 1978 | 147 | 89.1% | +0.8 pp |
| 1979 | 164 | 86.6% | -1.7 pp |
| 1980 | 171 | 88.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 215 | 86.5% | -1.8 pp |
| 1982 | 185 | 87.6% | -0.7 pp |
| 1983 | 164 | 90.2% | +1.9 pp |
| 1984 | 137 | 94.2% | +5.9 pp |
| 1985 | 68 | 86.8% | -1.5 pp |
| 1987 | 55 | 92.7% | +4.4 pp |
| 1988 | 80 | 85.0% | -3.3 pp |
| 1989 | 84 | 91.7% | +3.4 pp |
| 1990 | 73 | 80.8% | -7.5 pp |
| 1991 | 128 | 89.8% | +1.5 pp |
| 1992 | 206 | 87.9% | -0.4 pp |
| 1993 | 234 | 83.3% | -5.0 pp |
| 1994 | 215 | 90.7% | +2.4 pp |
| 1995 | 169 | 91.7% | +3.4 pp |
| 1996 | 78 | 84.6% | -3.7 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which R Series years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1988, 1990, 1993, 1996 registered examples pass first time less often than the BMW R Series overall (88.3%); the 1990 cohort is lowest at 80.8% from 73 tests.
- Which R Series year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1984, at 94.2% of 137 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1977, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1994, 1995.
- How much does the R Series pass rate vary by year?
- 13.4 percentage points between the highest (1984, 94.2%) and lowest (1990, 80.8%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: BMW R Series reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #1505 of 5428 models· other BMW models: R1200, R1150, S1000, F800, K Series, K1200