NORTON TRITON

650cc Petrol Class 2

#468 of 5426 overall #20 of 34 NORTONs #287 of 2787 other bikes

92.0%

first-time pass rate

2.4%

failed outright

2,705

median miles at test

1,423

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The TRITON's first-time pass rate has risen 1.9 points since 2006, 93.3% to 95.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage TRITON passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 40k that's 87.5%.

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 TRITON

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	32	37.2	0.3×
steering and suspension	16	18.6	0.3×
brakes	10	11.6	0.1×
body and structure	7	8.1	0.7×
tyres and wheels	7	8.1	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	6	7	0.5×
reg plates and vin	5	5.8	0.5×
Items Not Tested	2	2.3	1.5×
driving controls	1	1.2	0.3×

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 TRITON 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 TRITON.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1959 (96.0% pass). Weakest: 1971 (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 TRITON FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the NORTON TRITON reliable?

The NORTON TRITON is more reliable than average for its class: 92.0% of its 1,423 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #468 of 5426 models.

What does a TRITON fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 37% of all defects recorded against failed TRITON tests.

What is the best year of TRITON to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1959-registered examples do best (96.0%) and 1971 worst (87.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TRITON last?

The median TRITON shows 2,705 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 87.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.