KTM 990 ADVENTURE S

999cc Petrol Class 2

#1478 of 5426 overall #48 of 230 KTMs #70 of 99 adventure bikes

88.4%

first-time pass rate

4.6%

failed outright

20,952

median miles at test

606

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2010–2019

The 990 ADVENTURE S's first-time pass rate has fallen 13.8 points since 2010, 91.9% to 78.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the 990 ADVENTURE S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 990 ADVENTURE S passes first time 90.9% of the time; by 40k that's 83.3%.

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 990 ADVENTURE S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	14	24.1	0.5×
tyres and wheels	13	22.4	0.7×
brakes	10	17.2	0.3×
steering and suspension	9	15.5	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	4	6.9	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	4	6.9	0.4×
body and structure	1	1.7	0.3×
driving controls	1	1.7	0.7×
drive system	1	1.7	0.2×
suspension	1	1.7	0.2×

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 990 ADVENTURE S beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH TIGER, DUCATI MULTISTRADA, HONDA CRF1000L Africa Twin).

TRIUMPH TIGER 89.6% pass · 161k tests DUCATI MULTISTRADA 89.9% pass · 24.8k tests HONDA CRF1000L Africa Twin 95.3% pass · 21.7k tests TRIUMPH TIGER 1050 87.3% pass · 14.0k 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 990 ADVENTURE S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (90.0% pass). Weakest: 2007 (87.1%).

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 990 ADVENTURE S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KTM 990 ADVENTURE S reliable?

The KTM 990 ADVENTURE S is more reliable than average for its class: 88.4% of its 606 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1478 of 5426 models.

What does a 990 ADVENTURE S fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 24% of all defects recorded against failed 990 ADVENTURE S tests.

What is the best year of 990 ADVENTURE S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (90.0%) and 2007 worst (87.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a 990 ADVENTURE S last?

The median 990 ADVENTURE S shows 20,952 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 83.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.