TRIUMPH ROCKET 3

2294cc Petrol Class 2

#680 of 5426 overall #54 of 175 TRIUMPHs #125 of 465 cruiser bikes

91.0%

first-time pass rate

3.5%

failed outright

12,115

median miles at test

807

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2025

The ROCKET 3's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.0 points since 2009, 94.1% to 87.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ROCKET 3's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ROCKET 3 passes first time 93.5% of the time; by 30k that's 94.4%.

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 ROCKET 3

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	13	26.5	0.3×
tyres and wheels	11	22.4	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	7	14.3	0.3×
lighting and signalling	6	12.2	0.2×
tyres	6	12.2	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	3	6.1	0.3×
suspension	2	4.1	0.3×
reg plates and vin	1	2	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 ROCKET 3 beats 3 of its 3 closest rivals (TRIUMPH ROCKET III, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSB, TRIUMPH ROCKET 111).

TRIUMPH ROCKET III 88.3% pass · 15.5k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSB 89.3% pass · 6,915 tests TRIUMPH ROCKET 111 88.4% pass · 6,812 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 ROCKET 3.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (94.7% pass). Weakest: 2005 (88.6%).

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 ROCKET 3 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH ROCKET 3 reliable?

The TRIUMPH ROCKET 3 is more reliable than average for its class: 91.0% of its 807 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #680 of 5426 models.

What does a ROCKET 3 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed ROCKET 3 tests.

What is the best year of ROCKET 3 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (94.7%) and 2005 worst (88.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ROCKET 3 last?

The median ROCKET 3 shows 12,115 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 94.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.