BMW R60/6

599cc Petrol Class 2

#1243 of 5426 overall #50 of 109 BMWs #756 of 2787 other bikes

89.1%

first-time pass rate

4.8%

failed outright

43,926

median miles at test

764

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The R60/6's first-time pass rate has risen 1.4 points since 2006, 84.8% to 86.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the R60/6's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R60/6 passes first time 91.9% of the time; by 50k that's 87.9%.

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 R60/6

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	28	43.8	0.6×
steering and suspension	9	14.1	0.4×
tyres and wheels	8	12.5	0.5×
brakes	6	9.4	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	5	7.8	0.7×
body and structure	3	4.7	0.8×
driving controls	2	3.1	1.1×
reg plates and vin	1	1.6	0.2×
steering	1	1.6	0.3×
structure and attachments	1	1.6	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 R60/6 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 R60/6.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1976 (92.4% pass). Weakest: 1971 (84.9%).

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 R60/6 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R60/6 reliable?

The BMW R60/6 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.1% of its 764 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1243 of 5426 models.

What does a R60/6 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 44% of all defects recorded against failed R60/6 tests.

What is the best year of R60/6 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1976-registered examples do best (92.4%) and 1971 worst (84.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R60/6 last?

The median R60/6 shows 43,926 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.