PIAGGIO B500

459cc Petrol Class 2

#3733 of 5426 overall #79 of 136 PIAGGIOs #2372 of 2787 other bikes

79.2%

first-time pass rate

14.9%

failed outright

17,496

median miles at test

1,301

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2021

The B500's first-time pass rate has risen 7.2 points since 2006, 82.8% to 90.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the B500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage B500 passes first time 88.9% of the time; by 40k that's 76.5%.

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 B500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	119	29.2	1.5×
lighting and signalling	98	24	1.4×
steering and suspension	88	21.6	1.8×
tyres and wheels	67	16.4	2.2×
lamps and reflectors	13	3.2	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	6	1.5	0.5×
tyres	5	1.2	0.5×
reg plates and vin	5	1.2	0.7×
driving controls	4	1	1.3×
steering	3	0.7	0.4×

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 B500 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, YAMAHA XV535, SUZUKI GS500).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests YAMAHA XV535 82.7% pass · 48.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k 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 B500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (80.5% pass). Weakest: 2003 (77.9%).

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.

PIAGGIO B500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the PIAGGIO B500 reliable?

The PIAGGIO B500 is less reliable than average for its class: 79.2% of its 1,301 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3733 of 5426 models.

What does a B500 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed B500 tests.

What is the best year of B500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (80.5%) and 2003 worst (77.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a B500 last?

The median B500 shows 17,496 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 76.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.