Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Bsa Thunderbolt: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which Thunderbolt years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 91.3% average, from 1,097 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1966 (97.0% of 66 tests). Lowest: 1972 (85.8% of 127). Years more than two points below the model average: 1967, 1972.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (91.3%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 66 | 97.0% | +5.7 pp |
| 1967 | 116 | 87.9% | -3.4 pp |
| 1968 | 84 | 89.3% | -2.0 pp |
| 1969 | 148 | 92.6% | +1.3 pp |
| 1970 | 153 | 92.8% | +1.5 pp |
| 1971 | 260 | 93.1% | +1.8 pp |
| 1972 | 127 | 85.8% | -5.5 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which Thunderbolt years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1967, 1972 registered examples pass first time less often than the Bsa Thunderbolt overall (91.3%); the 1972 cohort is lowest at 85.8% from 127 tests.
- Which Thunderbolt year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1966, at 97.0% of 66 first tests (2005–2025).
- How much does the Thunderbolt pass rate vary by year?
- 11.2 percentage points between the highest (1966, 97.0%) and lowest (1972, 85.8%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Bsa Thunderbolt reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #619 of 5428 models· other Bsa models: A10, Bantam, C15, A65, B31, B40