BMW R60/5

599cc Petrol Class 2

#1047 of 5426 overall #42 of 109 BMWs #641 of 2787 other bikes

89.7%

first-time pass rate

4.7%

failed outright

41,599

median miles at test

573

MOT tests, 2005–2025

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%.

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%.

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	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 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 R60/5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1973 (94.0% pass). Weakest: 1971 (88.3%).

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 #1047 of 5426 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 — mileage alone rarely kills one.