MOTO GUZZI V50 III

490cc Petrol Class 2

#2016 of 5426 overall #40 of 69 MOTO GUZZIs #1223 of 2787 other bikes

86.6%

first-time pass rate

6.4%

failed outright

29,868

median miles at test

574

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The V50 III's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.6 points since 2006, 88.1% to 86.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the V50 III's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage V50 III passes first time 87.8% of the time; by 50k that's 77.8%.

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 V50 III

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	30	38.5	0.8×
lighting and signalling	27	34.6	0.7×
steering and suspension	7	9	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	3	3.8	0.3×
body and structure	3	3.8	1.1×
tyres and wheels	2	2.6	0.2×
steering	2	2.6	0.4×
suspension	2	2.6	0.2×
driving controls	1	1.3	0.7×
structure and attachments	1	1.3	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 V50 III beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests YAMAHA FZ6 85.2% pass · 67.1k 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 V50 III.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1983 (88.9% pass). Weakest: 1985 (82.8%).

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 V50 III FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MOTO GUZZI V50 III reliable?

The MOTO GUZZI V50 III is about average for its class: 86.6% of its 574 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2016 of 5426 models.

What does a V50 III fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 38% of all defects recorded against failed V50 III tests.

What is the best year of V50 III to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1983-registered examples do best (88.9%) and 1985 worst (82.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a V50 III last?

The median V50 III shows 29,868 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.