TRIUMPH TIGER 90

350cc Petrol Class 2

#1111 of 5426 overall #87 of 175 TRIUMPHs #65 of 99 adventure bikes

89.5%

first-time pass rate

4.1%

failed outright

12,685

median miles at test

1,908

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2017

The TIGER 90's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.8 points since 2005, 88.9% to 86.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the TIGER 90's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage TIGER 90 passes first time 90.0% of the time; by 50k that's 89.6%.

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 TIGER 90

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	43	30.5	0.6×
lighting and signalling	39	27.7	0.4×
brakes	21	14.9	0.2×
tyres and wheels	15	10.6	0.4×
drive system	8	5.7	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	4	2.8	0.3×
driving controls	4	2.8	0.9×
body and structure	3	2.1	0.3×
steering	2	1.4	0.1×
Items Not Tested	2	1.4	0.6×

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 TIGER 90 beats 0 of its 1 closest rivals (ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN).

ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 90.0% pass · 5,785 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 TIGER 90.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1966 (91.6% pass). Weakest: 1964 (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 TIGER 90 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH TIGER 90 reliable?

The TRIUMPH TIGER 90 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.5% of its 1,908 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1111 of 5426 models.

What does a TIGER 90 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 30% of all defects recorded against failed TIGER 90 tests.

What is the best year of TIGER 90 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1966-registered examples do best (91.6%) and 1964 worst (88.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TIGER 90 last?

The median TIGER 90 shows 12,685 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 89.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.