BSA B44

441cc Petrol Class 2

#919 of 5426 overall #42 of 62 BSAs #560 of 2787 other bikes

90.1%

first-time pass rate

3.9%

failed outright

8,728

median miles at test

618

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The B44's first-time pass rate has risen 5.3 points since 2006, 88.9% to 94.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the B44's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage B44 passes first time 89.7% of the time; by 20k that's 91.4%.

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 B44

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	16	34.8	0.6×
lighting and signalling	12	26.1	0.5×
tyres and wheels	5	10.9	0.4×
body and structure	3	6.5	1.0×
brakes	3	6.5	0.1×
drive system	3	6.5	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	1	2.2	0.1×
reg plates and vin	1	2.2	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	1	2.2	0.2×
tyres	1	2.2	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 B44 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, YAMAHA XV535, SUZUKI GS500).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests YAMAHA XV535 82.7% pass · 48.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k 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 B44.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1966 (94.8% pass). Weakest: 1970 (88.4%).

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 B44 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BSA B44 reliable?

The BSA B44 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.1% of its 618 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #919 of 5426 models.

What does a B44 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 35% of all defects recorded against failed B44 tests.

What is the best year of B44 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1966-registered examples do best (94.8%) and 1970 worst (88.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a B44 last?

The median B44 shows 8,728 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 91.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.