BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ TRIUMPH/TIGER 1200 GT EXPLORER
Model report · 2005–2025

TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 GT EXPLORER

1160cc Petrol Class 2
96.9%
first-time pass rate
1.6%
failed outright
8,529
median miles at test
193
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+8.9pp
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.

What fails on a TIGER 1200 GT EXPLORER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects
brakes
3 100

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 TIGER 1200 GT EXPLORER beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH TIGER, DUCATI MULTISTRADA, HONDA CRF1000L Africa Twin).

TRIUMPH TIGER 89.6% pass · 161k tests Compare head-to-head →
DUCATI MULTISTRADA 89.9% pass · 24.8k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CRF1000L Africa Twin 95.3% pass · 21.7k tests Compare head-to-head →
TRIUMPH TIGER 1050 87.3% pass · 14.0k 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 TIGER 1200 GT EXPLORER.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer

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: 2022 (96.8% pass). Weakest: 2022 (96.8%).

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.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.