TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BOBBER

1200cc Petrol Class 2

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

88.8%

first-time pass rate

4.0%

failed outright

3,442

median miles at test

706

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2024–2025

The BONNEVILLE BOBBER's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.5 points since 2024, 90.4% to 87.9%.

What fails on a BONNEVILLE BOBBER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	25	45.5	1.5×
Identification of the vehicle	8	14.5	4.9×
brakes	6	10.9	0.2×
tyres	6	10.9	1.0×
structure and attachments	4	7.3	0.6×
audible warning (Horn)	3	5.5	2.3×
steering	3	5.5	1.0×

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 BOBBER beats 2 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 FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k 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 BOBBER.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (93.5% pass). Weakest: 2022 (84.9%).

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 BOBBER FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BOBBER reliable?

The TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BOBBER is more reliable than average for its class: 88.8% of its 706 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 BOBBER fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 45% of all defects recorded against failed BONNEVILLE BOBBER tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2017-registered examples do best (93.5%) and 2022 worst (84.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.