NORTON COMMANDO

828cc Petrol Class 2

#746 of 5426 overall #27 of 34 NORTONs #456 of 2787 other bikes

90.7%

first-time pass rate

4.2%

failed outright

18,735

median miles at test

12.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The COMMANDO's first-time pass rate has risen 6.0 points since 2005, 89.9% to 95.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage COMMANDO passes first time 90.1% of the time; by 50k that's 90.0%.

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 COMMANDO

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	311	34.1	0.4×
steering and suspension	166	18.2	0.4×
brakes	166	18.2	0.2×
tyres and wheels	103	11.3	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	38	4.2	0.3×
drive system	34	3.7	0.3×
reg plates and vin	33	3.6	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	31	3.4	0.1×
driving controls	15	1.6	0.5×
body and structure	15	1.6	0.2×

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 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 COMMANDO.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (98.1% pass). Weakest: 1969 (87.6%).

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 COMMANDO FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the NORTON COMMANDO reliable?

The NORTON COMMANDO is more reliable than average for its class: 90.7% of its 12,277 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #746 of 5426 models.

What does a COMMANDO fail its MOT on most?

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

What is the best year of COMMANDO to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (98.1%) and 1969 worst (87.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a COMMANDO last?

The median COMMANDO shows 18,735 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 90.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.