NORTON COMANDO

750cc Petrol Class 2

#364 of 5426 overall #13 of 34 NORTONs #224 of 2787 other bikes

92.6%

first-time pass rate

3.1%

failed outright

20,686

median miles at test

1,012

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The COMANDO's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.7 points since 2006, 93.8% to 92.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage COMANDO passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 50k that's 93.4%.

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 COMANDO

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	26	45.6	0.4×
brakes	14	24.6	0.3×
tyres and wheels	4	7	0.1×
drive system	4	7	0.5×
reg plates and vin	3	5.3	0.5×
steering and suspension	3	5.3	0.1×
driving controls	2	3.5	0.8×
tyres	1	1.8	0.1×

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 COMANDO 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 COMANDO.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1971 (94.8% pass). Weakest: 1976 (87.4%).

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.

NORTON COMANDO FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the NORTON COMANDO reliable?

The NORTON COMANDO is more reliable than average for its class: 92.6% of its 1,012 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #364 of 5426 models.

What does a COMANDO fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 46% of all defects recorded against failed COMANDO tests.

What is the best year of COMANDO to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1971-registered examples do best (94.8%) and 1976 worst (87.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a COMANDO last?

The median COMANDO shows 20,686 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.