BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
Model report · 2005–2025
84.3%
first-time pass rate
7.3%
failed outright
10,166
median miles at test
261
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage MT passes first time 82.5% of the time; by 20k that's 77.4%.

76%82%88%0k: 82.5% pass (126 tests)10k: 86.4% pass (59 tests)20k: 77.4% pass (31 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 MT

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects
lighting and signalling
15 30.6
lamps and reflectors
10 20.4
tyres and wheels
9 18.4
brakes
3 6.1
suspension
3 6.1
steering and suspension
2 4.1
driving controls
2 4.1
steering
2 4.1
drive system
2 4.1
wheels
1 2

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1995 (88.0% pass). Weakest: 1994 (81.3%).

80%85%89%1994: 81.3% pass (80 tests)1995: 88.0% pass (75 tests)19941995

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.