TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE

865cc Petrol Class 2

#1269 of 5426 overall #92 of 175 TRIUMPHs #246 of 465 cruiser bikes

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE — Photo: Rama · CC BY-SA 2.0 fr

89.0%

first-time pass rate

5.0%

failed outright

7,619

median miles at test

195k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The BONNEVILLE's first-time pass rate has risen 2.4 points since 2005, 88.6% to 91.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BONNEVILLE passes first time 90.6% of the time; by 50k that's 86.6%.

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 BONNEVILLE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	4,669	29.2	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	3,108	19.4	0.7×
lighting and signalling	2,346	14.7	0.2×
tyres and wheels	1,320	8.2	0.3×
steering and suspension	1,024	6.4	0.1×
tyres	995	6.2	0.7×
structure and attachments	876	5.5	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	641	4	0.4×
Identification of the vehicle	635	4	1.4×
reg plates and vin	396	2.5	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 BONNEVILLE beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL).

TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.2k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL 87.9% pass · 18.5k tests TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T 100 (865) 89.6% pass · 16.2k 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 BONNEVILLE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1959 (96.4% pass). Weakest: 1974 (83.2%).

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.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE reliable?

The TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE is more reliable than average for its class: 89.0% of its 195,256 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1269 of 5426 models.

What does a BONNEVILLE fail its MOT on most?

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

What is the best year of BONNEVILLE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1959-registered examples do best (96.4%) and 1974 worst (83.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BONNEVILLE last?

The median BONNEVILLE shows 7,619 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.