BSA ROCKET 3

750cc Petrol Class 2

#243 of 5426 overall #9 of 62 BSAs #45 of 465 cruiser bikes

93.4%

first-time pass rate

2.8%

failed outright

12,550

median miles at test

973

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The ROCKET 3's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (92.8% → 93.5%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the ROCKET 3's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ROCKET 3 passes first time 92.9% of the time; by 40k that's 97.6%.

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 ROCKET 3

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	16	29.1	0.3×
steering and suspension	15	27.3	0.3×
tyres and wheels	12	21.8	0.5×
brakes	9	16.4	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	2	3.6	0.3×
drive system	1	1.8	0.1×

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 ROCKET 3 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.2k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k 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 ROCKET 3.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1972 (96.1% pass). Weakest: 1970 (90.8%).

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 ROCKET 3 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BSA ROCKET 3 reliable?

The BSA ROCKET 3 is more reliable than average for its class: 93.4% of its 973 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #243 of 5426 models.

What does a ROCKET 3 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed ROCKET 3 tests.

What is the best year of ROCKET 3 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1972-registered examples do best (96.1%) and 1970 worst (90.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ROCKET 3 last?

The median ROCKET 3 shows 12,550 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 97.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.