BMW R1150

1130cc Petrol Class 2

#1448 of 5426 overall #57 of 109 BMWs #881 of 2787 other bikes

BMW R1150 — Photo: Martin Storbeck · CC BY-SA 3.0

88.5%

first-time pass rate

6.8%

failed outright

33,151

median miles at test

171k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The R1150's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.7 points since 2005, 91.8% to 89.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the R1150's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R1150 passes first time 92.9% of the time; by 50k that's 85.7%.

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 R1150

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	6,860	36.4	0.7×
lighting and signalling	3,784	20.1	0.4×
tyres and wheels	2,560	13.6	0.7×
steering and suspension	1,941	10.3	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	1,569	8.3	0.4×
suspension	653	3.5	0.5×
tyres	641	3.4	0.5×
reg plates and vin	388	2.1	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	221	1.2	0.2×
structure and attachments	211	1.1	0.2×

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 R1150 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, TRIUMPH SPRINT, SUZUKI GSF1200).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k 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 R1150.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (95.8% pass). Weakest: 1993 (84.6%).

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 R1150 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R1150 reliable?

The BMW R1150 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.5% of its 170,963 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1448 of 5426 models.

What does a R1150 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed R1150 tests.

What is the best year of R1150 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (95.8%) and 1993 worst (84.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R1150 last?

The median R1150 shows 33,151 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 85.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.