BSA A50

500cc Petrol Class 2

#1075 of 5426 overall #49 of 62 BSAs #661 of 2787 other bikes

89.6%

first-time pass rate

3.7%

failed outright

13,154

median miles at test

1,282

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The A50's first-time pass rate has fallen 8.0 points since 2006, 94.0% to 86.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the A50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage A50 passes first time 90.0% of the time; by 50k that's 96.2%.

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 A50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	26	28.3	0.5×
lighting and signalling	21	22.8	0.4×
brakes	20	21.7	0.3×
tyres and wheels	10	10.9	0.3×
reg plates and vin	5	5.4	0.3×
drive system	4	4.3	0.4×
body and structure	2	2.2	0.3×
sidecar	2	2.2	39.0×
fuel and exhaust	1	1.1	0.1×
driving controls	1	1.1	0.3×

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 A50 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 A50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1967 (94.9% pass). Weakest: 1965 (85.6%).

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.

BSA A50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BSA A50 reliable?

The BSA A50 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.6% of its 1,282 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1075 of 5426 models.

What does a A50 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 28% of all defects recorded against failed A50 tests.

What is the best year of A50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1967-registered examples do best (94.9%) and 1965 worst (85.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a A50 last?

The median A50 shows 13,154 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 96.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.