BMW R75

746cc Petrol Class 2

#1111 of 5426 overall #45 of 109 BMWs #678 of 2787 other bikes

89.5%

first-time pass rate

4.6%

failed outright

38,063

median miles at test

1,292

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The R75's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (89.8% → 90.0%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the R75's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R75 passes first time 86.9% of the time; by 50k that's 91.9%.

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 R75

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	33	29.5	0.4×
steering and suspension	21	18.8	0.5×
brakes	21	18.8	0.3×
tyres and wheels	17	15.2	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	8	7.1	0.7×
body and structure	5	4.5	0.8×
reg plates and vin	3	2.7	0.4×
sidecar	3	2.7	38.7×
Items Not Tested	1	0.9	0.8×

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 R75 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 TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 R75.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1973 (96.3% pass). Weakest: 1975 (84.8%).

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 R75 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R75 reliable?

The BMW R75 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.5% of its 1,292 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1111 of 5426 models.

What does a R75 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed R75 tests.

What is the best year of R75 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1973-registered examples do best (96.3%) and 1975 worst (84.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R75 last?

The median R75 shows 38,063 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 91.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.