BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ BMW/R60/5
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

BMW R60/5

599cc Petrol Class 2
#1049 of 5428 overall #42 of 109 BMWs #642 of 2788 other bikes
89.7%
first-time pass rate
4.7%
failed outright
41,599
median miles at test
573
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+7.8pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

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

The R60/5's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.1 points since 2006, 93.6% to 92.5%.

84%90%96%2006: 93.6% pass (47 tests)2007: 92.5% pass (40 tests)2008: 92.5% pass (40 tests)2009: 90.2% pass (41 tests)2010: 89.6% pass (48 tests)2011: 87.0% pass (54 tests)2012: 88.4% pass (43 tests)2013: 85.7% pass (49 tests)2014: 88.4% pass (43 tests)2015: 88.1% pass (42 tests)2016: 91.7% pass (48 tests)2017: 92.5% pass (40 tests)20062017

Pass rate by mileage

how the R60/5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R60/5 passes first time 87.5% of the time; by 50k that's 87.7%.

84%92%100%0k: 87.5% pass (88 tests)10k: 87.9% pass (33 tests)20k: 98.0% pass (49 tests)30k: 86.3% pass (102 tests)40k: 88.6% pass (79 tests)50k: 87.7% pass (57 tests)0k30k50k

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 R60/5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
steering and suspension
10 20 0.4×
tyres and wheels
9 18 0.8×
lighting and signalling
9 18 0.3×
brakes
7 14 0.2×
body and structure
4 8 1.1×
driving controls
4 8 2.2×
fuel and exhaust
3 6 0.5×
structure and attachments
3 6 0.5×
suspension
1 2 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 R60/5 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 R60/5.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the R60/5

More BMW models

other BMW bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests
BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests
BMW S1000 90.8% pass · 64.2k tests
BMW F800 90.4% pass · 60.0k tests
BMW K SERIES 90.0% pass · 38.7k tests
BMW K1200 89.5% pass · 34.7k tests

See all BMW models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 1973 (94.0%). Lowest: 1971 (88.3%). Every R60/5 year compared →

87%91%95%1970: 91.1% pass (56 tests)1971: 88.3% pass (239 tests)1973: 94.0% pass (168 tests)197019711973

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 R60/5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R60/5 reliable?

The BMW R60/5 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.7% of its 573 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1049 of 5428 models.

What does a R60/5 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension: 20% of all defects recorded against failed R60/5 tests.

What is the best year of R60/5 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1973-registered examples do best (94.0%) and 1971 worst (88.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R60/5 last?

The median R60/5 shows 41,599 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.7% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum: a live BMW R60/5 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.