BMW R850

850cc Petrol Class 2

#1986 of 5426 overall #73 of 109 BMWs #1204 of 2787 other bikes

86.7%

first-time pass rate

7.2%

failed outright

27,493

median miles at test

16.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The R850's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (86.2% → 85.3%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the R850's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R850 passes first time 91.6% of the time; by 50k that's 83.5%.

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 R850

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	683	32.9	0.7×
lighting and signalling	489	23.6	0.6×
steering and suspension	267	12.9	0.5×
tyres and wheels	259	12.5	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	177	8.5	0.5×
suspension	74	3.6	0.5×
tyres	54	2.6	0.4×
reg plates and vin	42	2	0.4×
driving controls	16	0.8	0.4×
body and structure	15	0.7	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 R850 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 R850.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (91.4% pass). Weakest: 1996 (82.6%).

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 R850 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BMW R850 reliable?

The BMW R850 is about average for its class: 86.7% of its 16,654 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1986 of 5426 models.

What does a R850 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 33% of all defects recorded against failed R850 tests.

What is the best year of R850 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (91.4%) and 1996 worst (82.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R850 last?

The median R850 shows 27,493 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.