VELOCETTE THRUXTON

500cc Petrol Class 2

#55 of 5426 overall #1 of 13 VELOCETTEs #35 of 2787 other bikes

95.3%

first-time pass rate

0.7%

failed outright

7,387

median miles at test

570

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The THRUXTON's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.3 points since 2006, 100.0% to 94.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage THRUXTON passes first time 95.9% of the time; by 20k that's 95.7%.

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 THRUXTON

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	4	57.1	0.2×
lighting and signalling	2	28.6	—
fuel and exhaust	1	14.3	0.2×

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 THRUXTON 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 THRUXTON.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1969 (98.2% pass). Weakest: 1966 (93.8%).

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.

VELOCETTE THRUXTON FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the VELOCETTE THRUXTON reliable?

The VELOCETTE THRUXTON is more reliable than average for its class: 95.3% of its 570 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #55 of 5426 models.

What does a THRUXTON fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 57% of all defects recorded against failed THRUXTON tests.

What is the best year of THRUXTON to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1969-registered examples do best (98.2%) and 1966 worst (93.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a THRUXTON last?

The median THRUXTON shows 7,387 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 95.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.