ENFIELD BULLET 500

499cc Petrol Class 2

#1854 of 5426 overall #5 of 6 ENFIELDs #1122 of 2787 other bikes

87.2%

first-time pass rate

6.5%

failed outright

5,889

median miles at test

4,811

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The BULLET 500's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.1 points since 2005, 87.9% to 86.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the BULLET 500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage BULLET 500 passes first time 87.4% of the time; by 30k that's 86.0%.

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 BULLET 500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	248	41.1	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	83	13.7	0.8×
brakes	56	9.3	0.2×
tyres and wheels	54	8.9	0.5×
reg plates and vin	39	6.5	1.0×
steering and suspension	34	5.6	0.2×
structure and attachments	25	4.1	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	23	3.8	0.6×
body and structure	23	3.8	0.7×
drive system	19	3.1	0.5×

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 BULLET 500 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 BULLET 500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (94.3% pass). Weakest: 1991 (67.3%).

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.

ENFIELD BULLET 500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ENFIELD BULLET 500 reliable?

The ENFIELD BULLET 500 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.2% of its 4,811 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1854 of 5426 models.

What does a BULLET 500 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 41% of all defects recorded against failed BULLET 500 tests.

What is the best year of BULLET 500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (94.3%) and 1991 worst (67.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BULLET 500 last?

The median BULLET 500 shows 5,889 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 86.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.