TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE L

744cc Petrol Class 2

#1604 of 5426 overall #110 of 175 TRIUMPHs #322 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.0%

first-time pass rate

6.1%

failed outright

13,724

median miles at test

1,057

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The BONNEVILLE L's first-time pass rate has risen 2.9 points since 2006, 91.4% to 94.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BONNEVILLE L passes first time 85.9% of the time; by 40k that's 93.8%.

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 L

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	42	33.6	0.6×
lighting and signalling	25	20	0.3×
steering and suspension	20	16	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	13	10.4	0.5×
reg plates and vin	7	5.6	1.0×
tyres and wheels	4	3.2	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	4	3.2	0.4×
structure and attachments	4	3.2	0.3×
drive system	3	2.4	0.4×
steering	3	2.4	0.7×

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 L 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 L.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1981 (90.5% pass). Weakest: 1980 (82.4%).

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 L FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE L reliable?

The TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE L is more reliable than average for its class: 88.0% of its 1,057 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1604 of 5426 models.

What does a BONNEVILLE L fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 34% of all defects recorded against failed BONNEVILLE L tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 1981-registered examples do best (90.5%) and 1980 worst (82.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BONNEVILLE L last?

The median BONNEVILLE L shows 13,724 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 93.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.