VELOCETTE 500

500cc Petrol Class 2

#364 of 5426 overall #7 of 13 VELOCETTEs #224 of 2787 other bikes

92.6%

first-time pass rate

2.9%

failed outright

11,228

median miles at test

311

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2011

The 500's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (90.6% → 90.6%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the 500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 500 passes first time 92.9% of the time; by 30k that's 92.1%.

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 500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
lighting and signalling	10	66.7
brakes	3	20
body and structure	1	6.7
tyres and wheels	1	6.7

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 500 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 500.