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League table/ ROYAL ENFIELD/BULLET EFI E4
Model report · 2005–2025

ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET EFI E4

499cc Petrol Class 2
#1077 of 5428 overall #23 of 37 ROYAL ENFIELDs #662 of 2788 other bikes
89.6%
first-time pass rate
4.8%
failed outright
4,013
median miles at test
897
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-0.1pp
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 · 2020–2025

The BULLET EFI E4's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.0 points since 2020, 96.3% to 93.3%.

82%90%99%2020: 96.3% pass (82 tests)2021: 84.6% pass (123 tests)2022: 89.5% pass (181 tests)2023: 90.2% pass (193 tests)2024: 85.7% pass (154 tests)2025: 93.3% pass (163 tests)20202025

What fails on a BULLET EFI E4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors
22 31.9 1.4×
brakes
17 24.6 0.3×
structure and attachments
10 14.5 1.3×
tyres
9 13 1.3×
audible warning (Horn)
3 4.3 1.8×
steering
3 4.3 0.8×
wheels
2 2.9 3.7×
Identification of the vehicle
2 2.9 1.0×
suspension
1 1.4 0.2×

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 EFI E4 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 →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 BULLET EFI E4.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Bullet Efi E4

More ROYAL ENFIELD models

other ROYAL ENFIELD bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET 500 88.2% pass · 25.7k tests
ROYAL ENFIELD INTERCEPTOR INT 650 91.0% pass · 7,364 tests
ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET 350 89.6% pass · 7,044 tests
ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 90.0% pass · 5,785 tests
ROYAL ENFIELD BULLT 89.8% pass · 5,661 tests
ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET 87.9% pass · 5,229 tests

See all ROYAL ENFIELD models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2018 (91.4% pass). Weakest: 2020 (87.5%).

87%89%92%2017: 88.9% pass (343 tests)2018: 91.4% pass (292 tests)2019: 89.3% pass (178 tests)2020: 87.5% pass (80 tests)201720192020

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 EFI E4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET EFI E4 reliable?

The ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET EFI E4 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.6% of its 897 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1077 of 5428 models.

What does a BULLET EFI E4 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 32% of all defects recorded against failed BULLET EFI E4 tests.

What is the best year of BULLET EFI E4 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2018-registered examples do best (91.4%) and 2020 worst (87.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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