BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
League table/ KTM/1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17
Model report · 2005–2025

KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17

1301cc Petrol Class 2
93.3%
first-time pass rate
2.7%
failed outright
14,199
median miles at test
1,631
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2020–2025

The 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.2 points since 2020, 95.1% to 90.9%.

90%93%96%2020: 95.1% pass (368 tests)2021: 92.2% pass (293 tests)2022: 93.3% pass (284 tests)2023: 94.6% pass (276 tests)2024: 92.0% pass (200 tests)2025: 90.9% pass (208 tests)20202025

Pass rate by mileage

how the 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 passes first time 93.5% of the time; by 30k that's 86.9%.

86%90%95%0k: 93.5% pass (382 tests)10k: 92.7% pass (672 tests)20k: 92.4% pass (277 tests)30k: 86.9% pass (84 tests)0k20k30k

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 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
tyres
16 25 1.0×
brakes
15 23.4 0.2×
lamps and reflectors
13 20.3 0.5×
suspension
9 14.1 0.7×
structure and attachments
7 10.9 0.4×
Identification of the vehicle
4 6.2 1.1×

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 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH TIGER, DUCATI MULTISTRADA, HONDA CRF1000L Africa Twin).

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 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (93.5% pass). Weakest: 2018 (90.8%).

90%92%94%2017: 93.5% pass (1,447 tests)2018: 90.8% pass (173 tests)20172018

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.

KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 reliable?

The KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 is more reliable than average for its class: 93.3% of its 1,631 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #250 of 5426 models.

What does a 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 fail its MOT on most?

tyres — 25% of all defects recorded against failed 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 tests.

How many miles will a 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 last?

The median 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S 17 shows 14,199 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 86.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.