BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ MOTO GUZZI/850 T3
Model report · 2005–2025

MOTO GUZZI 850 T3

844cc Petrol Class 2
#2690 of 5428 overall #56 of 69 MOTO GUZZIs #1692 of 2788 other bikes
84.2%
first-time pass rate
9.4%
failed outright
37,804
median miles at test
1,156
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+0.5pp
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 · 2006–2019

The 850 T3's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.5 points since 2006, 87.3% to 83.8%.

71%83%96%2006: 87.3% pass (79 tests)2007: 88.0% pass (75 tests)2008: 80.8% pass (73 tests)2009: 87.7% pass (81 tests)2010: 91.5% pass (82 tests)2011: 82.7% pass (81 tests)2012: 86.7% pass (83 tests)2013: 75.3% pass (85 tests)2014: 81.1% pass (90 tests)2015: 80.5% pass (82 tests)2016: 83.5% pass (85 tests)2017: 76.7% pass (90 tests)2018: 86.7% pass (45 tests)2019: 83.8% pass (37 tests)20062019

Pass rate by mileage

how the 850 T3's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 850 T3 passes first time 92.4% of the time; by 50k that's 82.1%.

76%86%95%0k: 92.4% pass (157 tests)10k: 87.3% pass (118 tests)20k: 85.9% pass (185 tests)30k: 78.8% pass (146 tests)40k: 83.4% pass (145 tests)50k: 82.1% pass (117 tests)0k30k50k

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 850 T3

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
70 30.6 1.0×
lighting and signalling
68 29.7 1.0×
steering and suspension
37 16.2 0.8×
tyres and wheels
21 9.2 0.9×
fuel and exhaust
10 4.4 1.1×
body and structure
6 2.6 0.9×
driving controls
5 2.2 1.8×
lamps and reflectors
4 1.7 0.2×
reg plates and vin
4 1.7 0.6×
sidecar
4 1.7 —

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 850 T3 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 850 T3.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the 850 T3

More MOTO GUZZI models

other MOTO GUZZI bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA 85.9% pass · 14.8k tests
MOTO GUZZI BREVA 87.3% pass · 9,332 tests
MOTO GUZZI V7 90.0% pass · 5,084 tests
MOTO GUZZI GRISO 90.1% pass · 5,012 tests
MOTO GUZZI V11 86.8% pass · 3,514 tests
MOTO GUZZI LE MANS 87.9% pass · 3,016 tests

See all MOTO GUZZI models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1980 (87.3% pass). Weakest: 1981 (81.9%).

81%85%88%1976: 86.4% pass (191 tests)1977: 83.3% pass (210 tests)1978: 83.6% pass (177 tests)1979: 84.4% pass (141 tests)1980: 87.3% pass (204 tests)1981: 81.9% pass (94 tests)197619791981

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.

MOTO GUZZI 850 T3 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MOTO GUZZI 850 T3 reliable?

The MOTO GUZZI 850 T3 is about average for its class: 84.2% of its 1,156 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2690 of 5428 models.

What does a 850 T3 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 31% of all defects recorded against failed 850 T3 tests.

What is the best year of 850 T3 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1980-registered examples do best (87.3%) and 1981 worst (81.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a 850 T3 last?

The median 850 T3 shows 37,804 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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