Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Norton ES2: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which ES2 years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 91.3% average, from 2,223 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1955 (96.6% of 87 tests). Lowest: 1956 (81.0% of 84). Years more than two points below the model average: 1949, 1954, 1956, 1959.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (91.3%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 124 | 92.7% | +1.4 pp |
| 1949 | 118 | 89.0% | -2.3 pp |
| 1950 | 101 | 92.1% | +0.8 pp |
| 1951 | 146 | 93.2% | +1.9 pp |
| 1952 | 108 | 89.8% | -1.5 pp |
| 1953 | 139 | 91.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 1954 | 96 | 88.5% | -2.8 pp |
| 1955 | 87 | 96.6% | +5.3 pp |
| 1956 | 84 | 81.0% | -10.3 pp |
| 1957 | 98 | 89.8% | -1.5 pp |
| 1958 | 84 | 92.9% | +1.6 pp |
| 1959 | 137 | 87.6% | -3.7 pp |
| 1960 | 211 | 94.3% | +3.0 pp |
| 1961 | 200 | 91.0% | -0.3 pp |
| 1962 | 112 | 93.8% | +2.5 pp |
| 1971 | 64 | 90.6% | -0.7 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which ES2 years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1949, 1954, 1956, 1959 registered examples pass first time less often than the Norton ES2 overall (91.3%); the 1956 cohort is lowest at 81.0% from 84 tests.
- Which ES2 year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1955, at 96.6% of 87 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1955, 1960, 1962.
- How much does the ES2 pass rate vary by year?
- 15.6 percentage points between the highest (1955, 96.6%) and lowest (1956, 81.0%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Norton ES2 reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #619 of 5428 models· other Norton models: Commando, Dominator, Commander, Triton, Atlas, 650SS