BMW R50

500cc Petrol Class 2

#343 of 5426 overall #22 of 109 BMWs #211 of 2787 other bikes

92.7%

first-time pass rate

2.7%

failed outright

39,519

median miles at test

479

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The R50's first-time pass rate has risen 1.6 points since 2006, 95.3% to 96.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the R50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R50 passes first time 90.3% of the time; by 50k that's 91.5%.

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 R50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
lighting and signalling	10	43.5
steering and suspension	4	17.4
brakes	4	17.4
body and structure	2	8.7
fuel and exhaust	1	4.3
driving controls	1	4.3
tyres and wheels	1	4.3

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the R50 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 R50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1960 (93.6% pass). Weakest: 1960 (93.6%).

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.