BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ NORTON/TRITON
Model report · 2005–2025

NORTON TRITON

650cc Petrol Class 2
#455 of 5428 overall #20 of 34 NORTONs #282 of 2788 other bikes
92.1%
first-time pass rate
2.3%
failed outright
2,670
median miles at test
1,496
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+5.9pp
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.

Pass rate over time

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

The TRITON's first-time pass rate has risen 2.6 points since 2006, 93.0% to 95.6%.

82%91%100%2006: 93.0% pass (142 tests)2007: 92.5% pass (133 tests)2008: 89.1% pass (137 tests)2009: 90.3% pass (144 tests)2010: 94.4% pass (126 tests)2011: 92.6% pass (135 tests)2012: 85.3% pass (143 tests)2013: 90.4% pass (104 tests)2014: 89.7% pass (107 tests)2015: 96.7% pass (92 tests)2016: 97.3% pass (75 tests)2017: 95.6% pass (68 tests)20062017

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 91.5% of the time; by 50k that's 96.7%.

86%92%99%0k: 91.5% pass (1,058 tests)10k: 96.1% pass (155 tests)20k: 91.5% pass (82 tests)30k: 90.7% pass (43 tests)40k: 87.5% pass (40 tests)50k: 96.7% pass (30 tests)0k30k50k

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 Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
35 39.3 0.3×
steering and suspension
16 18 0.3×
brakes
10 11.2 0.1×
body and structure
7 7.9 0.7×
tyres and wheels
7 7.9 0.2×
fuel and exhaust
6 6.7 0.4×
reg plates and vin
5 5.6 0.5×
Items Not Tested
2 2.2 1.5×
driving controls
1 1.1 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 Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 TRITON.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Triton

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 ATLAS 92.5% pass · 1,153 tests
NORTON 650SS 93.8% pass · 1,084 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: 1959 (96.4% pass). Weakest: 1971 (88.3%).

87%92%98%1957: 89.6% pass (96 tests)1958: 91.0% pass (111 tests)1959: 96.4% pass (197 tests)1960: 89.8% pass (333 tests)1961: 93.3% pass (89 tests)1962: 91.3% pass (80 tests)1971: 88.3% pass (145 tests)195719601971

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: 92.1% of its 1,496 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #455 of 5428 models.

What does a TRITON fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 39% 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 (96.4%) and 1971 worst (88.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TRITON last?

The median TRITON shows 2,670 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 96.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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