BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ SUNBEAM/S8
Model report · 2005–2025

SUNBEAM S8

500cc Petrol Class 2
#588 of 5428 overall #2 of 3 SUNBEAMs #357 of 2788 other bikes
91.4%
first-time pass rate
3.5%
failed outright
7,540
median miles at test
1,319
MOT tests, 2005–2025

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.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2012

The S8's first-time pass rate has risen 1.3 points since 2005, 92.3% to 93.6%.

83%90%98%2005: 92.3% pass (39 tests)2006: 90.9% pass (197 tests)2007: 94.2% pass (172 tests)2008: 92.5% pass (159 tests)2009: 88.1% pass (168 tests)2010: 85.5% pass (159 tests)2011: 95.2% pass (167 tests)2012: 93.6% pass (141 tests)20052012

Pass rate by mileage

how the S8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage S8 passes first time 92.3% of the time; by 50k that's 94.9%.

88%92%96%0k: 92.3% pass (755 tests)10k: 90.2% pass (164 tests)20k: 89.5% pass (152 tests)30k: 88.9% pass (90 tests)40k: 90.9% pass (66 tests)50k: 94.9% pass (39 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 S8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
38 38 0.5×
lighting and signalling
22 22 0.3×
steering and suspension
20 20 0.4×
tyres and wheels
9 9 0.3×
driving controls
4 4 1.3×
body and structure
3 3 0.5×
fuel and exhaust
2 2 0.2×
drive system
2 2 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 S8 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 S8.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the S8

More SUNBEAM models

other SUNBEAM bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
SUNBEAM S7 90.7% pass · 935 tests
SUNBEAM MODEL 9 94.9% pass · 215 tests
SUNBEAM MODEL 8 95.2% pass · 125 tests
SUNBEAM 9 88.8% pass · 107 tests

See all SUNBEAM models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1956 (94.5% pass). Weakest: 1953 (87.8%).

86%91%96%1949: 89.5% pass (143 tests)1950: 90.6% pass (308 tests)1951: 92.5% pass (240 tests)1952: 91.6% pass (179 tests)1953: 87.8% pass (74 tests)1954: 90.1% pass (81 tests)1956: 94.5% pass (55 tests)1957: 92.3% pass (78 tests)1971: 93.7% pass (63 tests)194919531971

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.

SUNBEAM S8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUNBEAM S8 reliable?

The SUNBEAM S8 is more reliable than average for its class: 91.4% of its 1,319 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #588 of 5428 models.

What does a S8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 38% of all defects recorded against failed S8 tests.

What is the best year of S8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1956-registered examples do best (94.5%) and 1953 worst (87.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a S8 last?

The median S8 shows 7,540 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 94.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Sunbeam S8 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.