DUCATI ST3

992cc Petrol Class 2

#1604 of 5426 overall #93 of 173 DUCATIs #976 of 2787 other bikes

88.0%

first-time pass rate

7.3%

failed outright

14,888

median miles at test

2,747

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The ST3's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.7 points since 2007, 93.7% to 87.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ST3's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ST3 passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 40k that's 78.6%.

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 ST3

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	75	23	0.7×
brakes	75	23	0.5×
lighting and signalling	48	14.7	0.4×
suspension	28	8.6	1.2×
tyres and wheels	27	8.3	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	25	7.7	0.5×
drive system	24	7.4	0.9×
structure and attachments	9	2.8	0.3×
steering	9	2.8	0.8×
tyres	6	1.8	0.3×

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 ST3 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 ST3.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (94.3% pass). Weakest: 2005 (86.3%).

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.

DUCATI ST3 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the DUCATI ST3 reliable?

The DUCATI ST3 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.0% of its 2,747 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1604 of 5426 models.

What does a ST3 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 23% of all defects recorded against failed ST3 tests.

What is the best year of ST3 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (94.3%) and 2005 worst (86.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ST3 last?

The median ST3 shows 14,888 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 78.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.