BSA A10

650cc Petrol Class 2

#545 of 5426 overall #27 of 62 BSAs #330 of 2787 other bikes

91.6%

first-time pass rate

3.2%

failed outright

12,005

median miles at test

10.2k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2022

The A10's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (87.4% → 87.1%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the A10's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage A10 passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 50k that's 93.1%.

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 A10

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	238	36.3	0.3×
steering and suspension	137	20.9	0.3×
brakes	127	19.4	0.2×
tyres and wheels	55	8.4	0.2×
body and structure	27	4.1	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	26	4	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	15	2.3	—
driving controls	13	2	0.5×
drive system	13	2	0.2×
sidecar	5	0.8	9.8×

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 A10 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 A10.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1961 (93.6% pass). Weakest: 1950 (88.0%).

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.

BSA A10 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BSA A10 reliable?

The BSA A10 is more reliable than average for its class: 91.6% of its 10,227 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #545 of 5426 models.

What does a A10 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 36% of all defects recorded against failed A10 tests.

What is the best year of A10 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1961-registered examples do best (93.6%) and 1950 worst (88.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a A10 last?

The median A10 shows 12,005 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.