ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET 500

499cc Petrol Class 2

#1541 of 5426 overall #27 of 36 ROYAL ENFIELDs #936 of 2787 other bikes

88.2%

first-time pass rate

5.2%

failed outright

6,826

median miles at test

25.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The BULLET 500's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.4 points since 2005, 92.2% to 88.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the BULLET 500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage BULLET 500 passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 50k that's 86.8%.

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 500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	934	38.9	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	320	13.3	0.5×
brakes	295	12.3	0.2×
tyres and wheels	211	8.8	0.4×
steering and suspension	177	7.4	0.2×
reg plates and vin	118	4.9	0.7×
drive system	110	4.6	0.5×
structure and attachments	97	4	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	78	3.3	0.4×
tyres	58	2.4	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 BULLET 500 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (89.9% pass). Weakest: 1997 (80.2%).

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 500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET 500 reliable?

The ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET 500 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.2% of its 25,698 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1541 of 5426 models.

What does a BULLET 500 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 39% of all defects recorded against failed BULLET 500 tests.

What is the best year of BULLET 500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (89.9%) and 1997 worst (80.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BULLET 500 last?

The median BULLET 500 shows 6,826 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.