NORTON ES2

500cc Petrol Class 2

#618 of 5426 overall #24 of 34 NORTONs #376 of 2787 other bikes

91.3%

first-time pass rate

2.7%

failed outright

12,012

median miles at test

2,207

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2017

The ES2's first-time pass rate has risen 7.9 points since 2005, 86.5% to 94.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ES2's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ES2 passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 50k that's 92.3%.

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 ES2

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	55	40.1	0.4×
tyres and wheels	22	16.1	0.4×
steering and suspension	21	15.3	0.2×
brakes	18	13.1	0.2×
body and structure	7	5.1	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	5	3.6	0.3×
sidecar	4	2.9	22.7×
Items Not Tested	3	2.2	1.5×
drive system	2	1.5	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 ES2 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 ES2.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1955 (96.6% pass). Weakest: 1956 (81.0%).

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 ES2 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the NORTON ES2 reliable?

The NORTON ES2 is more reliable than average for its class: 91.3% of its 2,207 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #618 of 5426 models.

What does a ES2 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 40% of all defects recorded against failed ES2 tests.

What is the best year of ES2 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1955-registered examples do best (96.6%) and 1956 worst (81.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ES2 last?

The median ES2 shows 12,012 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 92.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.