BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
League table/ BSA/SHOOTING STAR
Model report · 2005–2025

BSA SHOOTING STAR

500cc Petrol Class 2
#250 of 5426 overall #10 of 62 BSAs #155 of 2787 other bikes
93.3%
first-time pass rate
3.4%
failed outright
11,743
median miles at test
668
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SHOOTING STAR's first-time pass rate has risen 4.5 points since 2006, 95.5% to 100.0%.

88%94%100%2006: 95.5% pass (66 tests)2007: 93.1% pass (72 tests)2008: 90.2% pass (61 tests)2009: 90.2% pass (61 tests)2010: 95.3% pass (64 tests)2011: 92.1% pass (63 tests)2012: 92.6% pass (54 tests)2013: 100.0% pass (36 tests)2014: 91.9% pass (37 tests)2015: 92.9% pass (42 tests)2016: 90.0% pass (40 tests)2017: 100.0% pass (30 tests)20062017

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SHOOTING STAR passes first time 92.7% of the time; by 40k that's 88.9%.

86%92%98%0k: 92.7% pass (317 tests)10k: 96.0% pass (100 tests)20k: 92.9% pass (56 tests)30k: 88.0% pass (50 tests)40k: 88.9% pass (45 tests)0k20k40k

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 SHOOTING STAR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
15 31.2 0.4×
brakes
11 22.9 0.3×
steering and suspension
11 22.9 0.5×
tyres and wheels
5 10.4 0.4×
drive system
3 6.2 0.6×
fuel and exhaust
3 6.2 0.6×

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 SHOOTING STAR 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 SHOOTING STAR.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1959 (95.2% pass). Weakest: 1955 (90.4%).

89%93%96%1955: 90.4% pass (52 tests)1959: 95.2% pass (104 tests)1960: 94.0% pass (83 tests)1961: 92.8% pass (111 tests)195519601961

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 SHOOTING STAR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BSA SHOOTING STAR reliable?

The BSA SHOOTING STAR is more reliable than average for its class: 93.3% of its 668 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #250 of 5426 models.

What does a SHOOTING STAR fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed SHOOTING STAR tests.

What is the best year of SHOOTING STAR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1959-registered examples do best (95.2%) and 1955 worst (90.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SHOOTING STAR last?

The median SHOOTING STAR shows 11,743 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 88.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.