TRIUMPH TR5

500cc Petrol Class 2

#854 of 5426 overall #65 of 175 TRIUMPHs #518 of 2787 other bikes

90.3%

first-time pass rate

2.4%

failed outright

5,049

median miles at test

507

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The TR5's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.3 points since 2006, 94.9% to 93.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the TR5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage TR5 passes first time 90.0% of the time; by 40k that's 96.7%.

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 TR5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	9	45	0.2×
brakes	5	25	0.2×
steering and suspension	2	10	0.1×
tyres and wheels	2	10	0.2×
body and structure	1	5	0.4×
reg plates and vin	1	5	0.3×

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 TR5 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 TR5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1972 (86.9% pass). Weakest: 1973 (82.0%).

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.

TRIUMPH TR5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the TRIUMPH TR5 reliable?

The TRIUMPH TR5 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.3% of its 507 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #854 of 5426 models.

What does a TR5 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 45% of all defects recorded against failed TR5 tests.

How many miles will a TR5 last?

The median TR5 shows 5,049 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 96.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.