BMW R100

980cc Petrol Class 2

#1910 of 5426 overall #69 of 109 BMWs #1155 of 2787 other bikes

87.0%

first-time pass rate

7.1%

failed outright

42,485

median miles at test

23.1k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The R100's first-time pass rate has risen 5.7 points since 2005, 86.6% to 92.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the R100's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R100 passes first time 86.8% of the time; by 50k that's 86.6%.

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 R100

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,049	32.9	0.7×
brakes	731	22.9	0.5×
steering and suspension	518	16.3	0.6×
tyres and wheels	275	8.6	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	242	7.6	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	137	4.3	0.7×
body and structure	62	1.9	0.5×
structure and attachments	61	1.9	0.3×
reg plates and vin	61	1.9	0.4×
driving controls	51	1.6	0.9×

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 R100 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 R100.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (92.5% pass). Weakest: 1976 (81.0%).

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 R100 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R100 reliable?

The BMW R100 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.0% of its 23,125 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1910 of 5426 models.

What does a R100 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed R100 tests.

What is the best year of R100 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (92.5%) and 1976 worst (81.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R100 last?

The median R100 shows 42,485 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.