TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 900

885cc Petrol Class 2

#3356 of 5426 overall #166 of 175 TRIUMPHs #456 of 465 cruiser bikes

81.1%

first-time pass rate

9.2%

failed outright

17,013

median miles at test

228

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate by mileage

how the THUNDERBIRD 900's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage THUNDERBIRD 900 passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 20k that's 76.1%.

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 THUNDERBIRD 900

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
tyres and wheels	5	17.9
brakes	4	14.3
lighting and signalling	4	14.3
tyres	4	14.3
suspension	3	10.7
steering and suspension	2	7.1
structure and attachments	2	7.1
fuel and exhaust	2	7.1
drive system	1	3.6
lamps and reflectors	1	3.6

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the THUNDERBIRD 900 beats 0 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 THUNDERBIRD 900.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1995 (90.0% pass). Weakest: 1996 (78.0%).

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.