Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
BMW R65: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which R65 years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 85.2% average, from 8,221 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1988 (89.2% of 324 tests). Lowest: 1989 (81.1% of 185). Years more than two points below the model average: 1989.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (85.2%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 72 | 86.1% | +0.9 pp |
| 1978 | 134 | 83.6% | -1.6 pp |
| 1979 | 760 | 87.1% | +1.9 pp |
| 1980 | 939 | 84.3% | -0.9 pp |
| 1981 | 1,424 | 83.8% | -1.4 pp |
| 1982 | 1,143 | 85.6% | +0.4 pp |
| 1983 | 1,007 | 85.4% | +0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 466 | 83.3% | -1.9 pp |
| 1985 | 587 | 87.7% | +2.5 pp |
| 1986 | 530 | 83.6% | -1.6 pp |
| 1987 | 376 | 85.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 324 | 89.2% | +4.0 pp |
| 1989 | 185 | 81.1% | -4.1 pp |
| 1991 | 69 | 85.5% | +0.3 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which R65 years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1989 registered examples pass first time less often than the BMW R65 overall (85.2%); the 1989 cohort is lowest at 81.1% from 185 tests.
- Which R65 year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1988, at 89.2% of 324 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1985, 1988.
- How much does the R65 pass rate vary by year?
- 8.1 percentage points between the highest (1988, 89.2%) and lowest (1989, 81.1%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: BMW R65 reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #2445 of 5428 models· other BMW models: R1200, R1150, S1000, F800, K Series, K1200