TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE AMERICA

865cc Petrol Class 2

#2306 of 5426 overall #134 of 175 TRIUMPHs #420 of 465 cruiser bikes

85.7%

first-time pass rate

7.1%

failed outright

9,728

median miles at test

6,025

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The BONNEVILLE AMERICA's first-time pass rate has risen 1.3 points since 2007, 87.5% to 88.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BONNEVILLE AMERICA passes first time 87.4% of the time; by 40k that's 77.1%.

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 AMERICA

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	184	28.6	0.6×
lighting and signalling	96	14.9	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	83	12.9	0.7×
tyres and wheels	78	12.1	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	52	8.1	0.9×
steering and suspension	43	6.7	0.2×
tyres	35	5.4	0.8×
reg plates and vin	25	3.9	0.6×
structure and attachments	24	3.7	0.5×
suspension	23	3.6	0.5×

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 AMERICA beats 0 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 AMERICA.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2002 (93.0% pass). Weakest: 2010 (79.8%).

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 AMERICA FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE AMERICA reliable?

The TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE AMERICA is about average for its class: 85.7% of its 6,025 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2306 of 5426 models.

What does a BONNEVILLE AMERICA fail its MOT on most?

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

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

By first-time pass rate, 2002-registered examples do best (93.0%) and 2010 worst (79.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BONNEVILLE AMERICA last?

The median BONNEVILLE AMERICA shows 9,728 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 77.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.