ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET

406cc Petrol Class 2

#1639 of 5426 overall #30 of 36 ROYAL ENFIELDs #998 of 2787 other bikes

87.9%

first-time pass rate

5.3%

failed outright

7,264

median miles at test

5,116

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The BULLET's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.6 points since 2005, 90.2% to 86.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BULLET passes first time 87.8% of the time; by 50k that's 89.1%.

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 BULLET

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	195	33.9	0.6×
brakes	111	19.3	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	74	12.9	0.6×
steering and suspension	55	9.6	0.3×
tyres and wheels	31	5.4	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	26	4.5	0.6×
structure and attachments	23	4	0.4×
body and structure	22	3.8	0.5×
reg plates and vin	19	3.3	0.6×
steering	19	3.3	0.8×

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 BULLET beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, SUZUKI GS500, SUZUKI AN400).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k 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 BULLET.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1954 (97.4% pass). Weakest: 1987 (75.9%).

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.

ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET reliable?

The ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET is more reliable than average for its class: 87.9% of its 5,116 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1639 of 5426 models.

What does a BULLET fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 34% of all defects recorded against failed BULLET tests.

What is the best year of BULLET to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1954-registered examples do best (97.4%) and 1987 worst (75.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BULLET last?

The median BULLET shows 7,264 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 89.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.