TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 865

865cc Petrol Class 2

#1212 of 5426 overall #90 of 175 TRIUMPHs #234 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.2%

first-time pass rate

4.6%

failed outright

8,536

median miles at test

5,589

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2012–2025

The BONNEVILLE 865's first-time pass rate has risen 1.9 points since 2012, 88.3% to 90.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the BONNEVILLE 865's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage BONNEVILLE 865 passes first time 90.7% of the time; by 40k that's 80.2%.

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 865

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	142	36	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	103	26.1	0.7×
tyres and wheels	37	9.4	0.3×
lighting and signalling	29	7.4	0.1×
tyres	28	7.1	0.7×
structure and attachments	15	3.8	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	13	3.3	0.9×
steering and suspension	10	2.5	0.1×
steering	10	2.5	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	7	1.8	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 BONNEVILLE 865 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests 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

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 865.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (89.6% pass). Weakest: 2012 (88.5%).

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 865 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 865 reliable?

The TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 865 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.2% of its 5,589 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1212 of 5426 models.

What does a BONNEVILLE 865 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed BONNEVILLE 865 tests.

What is the best year of BONNEVILLE 865 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (89.6%) and 2012 worst (88.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BONNEVILLE 865 last?

The median BONNEVILLE 865 shows 8,536 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 80.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.