BSA DBD34

500cc Petrol Class 2

#213 of 5426 overall #5 of 62 BSAs #130 of 2787 other bikes

93.7%

first-time pass rate

1.2%

failed outright

3,834

median miles at test

431

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The DBD34's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.4 points since 2006, 97.4% to 93.0%.

What fails on a DBD34

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
steering and suspension	3	30
lighting and signalling	2	20
tyres and wheels	2	20
brakes	1	10
driving controls	1	10
fuel and exhaust	1	10

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the DBD34 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 DBD34.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1959 (92.3% pass). Weakest: 1961 (90.5%).

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.