BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ MBK/ROCKET
Model report · 2005–2025

MBK ROCKET

49cc Petrol Class 1
#4940 of 5428 overall #5 of 13 MBKs #297 of 456 moped bikes
66.5%
first-time pass rate
26.5%
failed outright
7,558
median miles at test
543
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-7.7pp
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 · 2006–2012

The ROCKET's first-time pass rate has fallen 18.8 points since 2006, 70.3% to 51.5%.

46%63%81%2006: 70.3% pass (91 tests)2007: 61.2% pass (85 tests)2008: 71.4% pass (70 tests)2009: 62.5% pass (48 tests)2010: 70.5% pass (44 tests)2011: 75.0% pass (40 tests)2012: 51.5% pass (33 tests)20062012

What fails on a ROCKET

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
149 34.5 4.3×
steering and suspension
129 29.9 4.3×
brakes
70 16.2 2.1×
tyres and wheels
38 8.8 2.5×
fuel and exhaust
20 4.6 4.1×
reg plates and vin
8 1.9 2.6×
body and structure
7 1.6 2.7×
Items Not Tested
6 1.4 6.0×
tyres
3 0.7 0.5×
structure and attachments
2 0.5 0.3×

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 ROCKET beats 2 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 ROCKET.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Rocket

More MBK models

other MBK bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
MBK OVETTO 67.6% pass · 4,903 tests
MBK NITRO 59.8% pass · 3,071 tests
MBK MACH G 65.3% pass · 2,103 tests
MBK BOOSTER 66.5% pass · 890 tests
MBK SKYLINER 65.9% pass · 763 tests
MBK YN50 OVETTO 65.4% pass · 587 tests

See all MBK models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (71.4% pass). Weakest: 1998 (62.7%).

61%67%73%1998: 62.7% pass (158 tests)1999: 66.0% pass (156 tests)2001: 71.4% pass (154 tests)199819992001

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.

MBK ROCKET FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MBK ROCKET reliable?

The MBK ROCKET is less reliable than average for its class: 66.5% of its 543 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4940 of 5428 models.

What does a ROCKET fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 34% of all defects recorded against failed ROCKET tests.

What is the best year of ROCKET to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (71.4%) and 1998 worst (62.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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