TRIUMPH TIGER CUB

199cc Petrol Class 1

#1024 of 5426 overall #76 of 175 TRIUMPHs #61 of 99 adventure bikes

89.8%

first-time pass rate

4.2%

failed outright

6,857

median miles at test

3,086

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2018

The TIGER CUB's first-time pass rate has risen 11.2 points since 2005, 85.5% to 96.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the TIGER CUB's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage TIGER CUB passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 50k that's 93.8%.

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 CUB

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	93	31.2	0.5×
steering and suspension	78	26.2	0.6×
brakes	55	18.5	0.3×
tyres and wheels	33	11.1	0.4×
drive system	12	4	0.4×
body and structure	9	3	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	8	2.7	0.3×
Items Not Tested	4	1.3	1.4×
driving controls	4	1.3	0.6×
reg plates and vin	2	0.7	0.1×

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.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1956 (94.7% pass). Weakest: 1959 (81.7%).

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 CUB FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH TIGER CUB reliable?

The TRIUMPH TIGER CUB is more reliable than average for its class: 89.8% of its 3,086 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #1024 of 5426 models.

What does a TIGER CUB fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed TIGER CUB tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 1956-registered examples do best (94.7%) and 1959 worst (81.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TIGER CUB last?

The median TIGER CUB shows 6,857 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.