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League table/ NORTON/COMMANDO 961 CAFE RACER
Model report · 2005–2025

NORTON COMMANDO 961 CAFE RACER

961cc Petrol Class 2
#1113 of 5428 overall #30 of 34 NORTONs #680 of 2788 other bikes
89.5%
first-time pass rate
6.2%
failed outright
2,122
median miles at test
210
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-0.4pp
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.

What fails on a COMMANDO 961 CAFE RACER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects
brakes
13 56.5
lamps and reflectors
5 21.7
Identification of the vehicle
3 13
structure and attachments
2 8.7

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 COMMANDO 961 CAFE RACER beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests Compare head-to-head →
BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests Compare head-to-head →
TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 COMMANDO 961 CAFE RACER.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Commando 961 Cafe Racer

More NORTON models

other NORTON bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
NORTON COMMANDO 90.8% pass · 12.3k tests
NORTON DOMINATOR 92.6% pass · 3,807 tests
NORTON ES2 91.3% pass · 2,223 tests
NORTON COMMANDER 91.6% pass · 2,094 tests
NORTON TRITON 92.1% pass · 1,496 tests
NORTON ATLAS 92.5% pass · 1,153 tests

See all NORTON models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2018 (87.5% pass). Weakest: 2018 (87.5%).

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.

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