BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ TRIUMPH/SPEED MASTER 865
Model report · 2005–2025

TRIUMPH SPEED MASTER 865

865cc Petrol Class 2
#2232 of 5428 overall #131 of 175 TRIUMPHs #1382 of 2788 other bikes
85.9%
first-time pass rate
6.8%
failed outright
9,290
median miles at test
5,742
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-0.9pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2025

The SPEED MASTER 865's first-time pass rate has risen 7.6 points since 2008, 80.7% to 88.3%.

78%86%93%2008: 80.7% pass (57 tests)2009: 90.9% pass (110 tests)2010: 88.8% pass (160 tests)2011: 81.2% pass (239 tests)2012: 82.7% pass (289 tests)2013: 85.8% pass (352 tests)2014: 84.0% pass (432 tests)2015: 89.1% pass (488 tests)2016: 82.9% pass (455 tests)2017: 85.6% pass (451 tests)2018: 87.8% pass (344 tests)2019: 84.2% pass (330 tests)2020: 87.2% pass (296 tests)2021: 87.5% pass (392 tests)2022: 85.9% pass (382 tests)2023: 87.7% pass (365 tests)2024: 84.0% pass (282 tests)2025: 88.3% pass (315 tests)20082025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SPEED MASTER 865 passes first time 88.3% of the time; by 40k that's 79.2%.

77%84%90%0k: 88.3% pass (3,088 tests)10k: 83.9% pass (1,816 tests)20k: 81.1% pass (592 tests)30k: 83.5% pass (164 tests)40k: 79.2% pass (48 tests)0k20k40k

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 SPEED MASTER 865

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
180 26.4 0.6×
lighting and signalling
124 18.2 0.4×
lamps and reflectors
123 18 0.9×
fuel and exhaust
58 8.5 1.0×
tyres and wheels
52 7.6 0.4×
structure and attachments
47 6.9 1.0×
steering and suspension
31 4.5 0.2×
drive system
23 3.4 0.5×
Identification of the vehicle
23 3.4 1.7×
tyres
21 3.1 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 SPEED MASTER 865 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH SPRINT, HONDA VFR800 FI, KAWASAKI ZX-9R).

TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k tests Compare head-to-head →
KAWASAKI ZX-9R 80.7% pass · 89.0k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 SPEED MASTER 865.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Speed Master 865

More TRIUMPH models

other TRIUMPH bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests
TRIUMPH TIGER 89.6% pass · 161k tests
TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests
TRIUMPH DAYTONA 83.6% pass · 113k tests
TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 85.6% pass · 74.6k tests
TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests

See all TRIUMPH models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (87.7% pass). Weakest: 2008 (84.1%).

83%86%89%2005: 85.5% pass (725 tests)2006: 86.3% pass (791 tests)2007: 85.6% pass (609 tests)2008: 84.1% pass (823 tests)2009: 84.6% pass (911 tests)2010: 86.7% pass (547 tests)2011: 87.7% pass (774 tests)2012: 87.7% pass (512 tests)200520092012

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 SPEED MASTER 865 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH SPEED MASTER 865 reliable?

The TRIUMPH SPEED MASTER 865 is about average for its class: 85.9% of its 5,742 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2232 of 5428 models.

What does a SPEED MASTER 865 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed SPEED MASTER 865 tests.

What is the best year of SPEED MASTER 865 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (87.7%) and 2008 worst (84.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SPEED MASTER 865 last?

The median SPEED MASTER 865 shows 9,290 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 79.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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