TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865

865cc Petrol Class 2

#1332 of 5426 overall #95 of 175 TRIUMPHs #260 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.8%

first-time pass rate

6.2%

failed outright

8,669

median miles at test

5,130

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865's first-time pass rate has risen 4.4 points since 2012, 86.9% to 91.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 passes first time 91.3% of the time; by 30k that's 79.5%.

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 865

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	162	31.6	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	92	18	0.9×
lighting and signalling	60	11.7	0.2×
tyres	42	8.2	1.0×
tyres and wheels	41	8	0.4×
structure and attachments	29	5.7	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	28	5.5	0.7×
steering and suspension	24	4.7	0.1×
suspension	21	4.1	0.5×
steering	13	2.5	0.6×

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 865 beats 3 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 865.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (90.2% pass). Weakest: 2009 (88.1%).

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 865 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 reliable?

The TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.8% of its 5,130 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1332 of 5426 models.

What does a BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (90.2%) and 2009 worst (88.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 last?

The median BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 shows 8,669 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 79.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.