BMW R1250

1254cc Petrol Class 2

#32 of 5426 overall #4 of 109 BMWs #19 of 2787 other bikes

BMW R1250 — Photo: Klaas van Buiten · CC BY-SA 4.0

95.8%

first-time pass rate

2.1%

failed outright

11,082

median miles at test

33.6k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2021–2025

The R1250's first-time pass rate has risen 3.3 points since 2021, 92.9% to 96.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the R1250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R1250 passes first time 96.6% of the time; by 50k that's 89.7%.

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 R1250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	393	43.9	0.2×
tyres	190	21.2	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	92	10.3	0.2×
suspension	66	7.4	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	43	4.8	0.6×
structure and attachments	33	3.7	0.1×
wheels	29	3.2	1.3×
audible warning (Horn)	26	2.9	0.4×
steering	22	2.5	0.1×
lighting and signalling	1	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 R1250 beats 4 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 R1250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (96.1% pass). Weakest: 2023 (94.9%).

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 R1250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R1250 reliable?

The BMW R1250 is more reliable than average for its class: 95.8% of its 33,642 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #32 of 5426 models.

What does a R1250 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 44% of all defects recorded against failed R1250 tests.

What is the best year of R1250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2021-registered examples do best (96.1%) and 2023 worst (94.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R1250 last?

The median R1250 shows 11,082 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 89.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.