BMW R75/7

746cc Petrol Class 2

#3219 of 5426 overall #104 of 109 BMWs #2047 of 2787 other bikes

81.8%

first-time pass rate

9.5%

failed outright

47,344

median miles at test

555

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The R75/7's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.3 points since 2006, 85.4% to 78.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the R75/7's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R75/7 passes first time 72.9% of the time; by 50k that's 73.8%.

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 R75/7

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	40	33.3	1.2×
steering and suspension	36	30	1.5×
tyres and wheels	10	8.3	0.7×
brakes	10	8.3	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	6	5	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	5	4.2	0.9×
body and structure	5	4.2	1.1×
driving controls	4	3.3	3.1×
steering	2	1.7	0.9×
structure and attachments	2	1.7	0.5×

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 R75/7 beats 2 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 R75/7.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1977 (82.5% pass). Weakest: 1976 (76.2%).

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 R75/7 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R75/7 reliable?

The BMW R75/7 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.8% of its 555 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3219 of 5426 models.

What does a R75/7 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed R75/7 tests.

How many miles will a R75/7 last?

The median R75/7 shows 47,344 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.