BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ GENERIC/TRIGGER SM 50
Model report · 2005–2025

GENERIC TRIGGER SM 50

50cc Petrol Class 1
#5368 of 5428 overall #8 of 9 GENERICs #428 of 456 moped bikes
52.6%
first-time pass rate
36.5%
failed outright
8,779
median miles at test
620
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-19.9pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2017

The TRIGGER SM 50's first-time pass rate has fallen 12.4 points since 2011, 63.4% to 51.0%.

40%54%68%2011: 63.4% pass (41 tests)2012: 47.1% pass (68 tests)2013: 54.7% pass (86 tests)2014: 44.3% pass (88 tests)2015: 55.3% pass (85 tests)2016: 58.4% pass (89 tests)2017: 51.0% pass (51 tests)20112017

Pass rate by mileage

how the TRIGGER SM 50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage TRIGGER SM 50 passes first time 54.5% of the time; by 20k that's 50.0%.

47%51%56%0k: 54.5% pass (334 tests)10k: 47.9% pass (190 tests)20k: 50.0% pass (30 tests)0k10k20k

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 TRIGGER SM 50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
257 31.8 5.5×
steering and suspension
187 23.1 5.6×
brakes
121 15 3.2×
drive system
78 9.6 13.0×
body and structure
44 5.4 11.4×
lamps and reflectors
40 4.9 2.3×
fuel and exhaust
27 3.3 5.1×
structure and attachments
21 2.6 3.5×
suspension
19 2.3 3.3×
driving controls
15 1.9 9.6×

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 TRIGGER SM 50 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests Compare head-to-head →
PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests Compare head-to-head →
PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests Compare head-to-head →
PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 TRIGGER SM 50.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Trigger SM 50

More GENERIC models

other GENERIC bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
GENERIC CODE 65.8% pass · 1,318 tests
GENERIC CRACKER 66.2% pass · 1,188 tests
GENERIC XOR 66.7% pass · 1,090 tests
GENERIC WORX 125 68.3% pass · 398 tests
GENERIC RACE 50 66.8% pass · 340 tests
GENERIC TRIGGER 50.0% pass · 308 tests

See all GENERIC models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (56.7% pass). Weakest: 2012 (46.0%).

44%51%59%2008: 56.7% pass (141 tests)2009: 48.2% pass (139 tests)2010: 54.5% pass (123 tests)2011: 55.4% pass (121 tests)2012: 46.0% pass (50 tests)200820102012

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.

GENERIC TRIGGER SM 50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the GENERIC TRIGGER SM 50 reliable?

The GENERIC TRIGGER SM 50 is less reliable than average for its class: 52.6% of its 620 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5368 of 5428 models.

What does a TRIGGER SM 50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed TRIGGER SM 50 tests.

What is the best year of TRIGGER SM 50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (56.7%) and 2012 worst (46.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TRIGGER SM 50 last?

The median TRIGGER SM 50 shows 8,779 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 50.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Generic Trigger SM 50 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.