NORTON 850 COMMANDO

828cc Petrol Class 2

#1212 of 5426 overall #31 of 34 NORTONs #743 of 2787 other bikes

89.2%

first-time pass rate

5.2%

failed outright

23,520

median miles at test

269

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage 850 COMMANDO passes first time 89.2% of the time; by 40k that's 76.5%.

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 COMMANDO

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
lighting and signalling	11	42.3
steering and suspension	7	26.9
brakes	5	19.2
tyres and wheels	2	7.7
body and structure	1	3.8

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the 850 COMMANDO 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 TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 850 COMMANDO.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1975 (96.4% pass). Weakest: 1971 (81.8%).

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.