VELOCETTE VENOM

500cc Petrol Class 2

#125 of 5426 overall #4 of 13 VELOCETTEs #81 of 2787 other bikes

94.4%

first-time pass rate

1.5%

failed outright

14,785

median miles at test

4,945

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The VENOM's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (94.9% → 95.4%).

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VENOM passes first time 93.9% of the time; by 50k that's 95.3%.

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 VENOM

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	63	43.2	0.2×
steering and suspension	28	19.2	0.2×
brakes	18	12.3	0.1×
tyres and wheels	14	9.6	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	10	6.8	0.2×
driving controls	4	2.7	0.3×
Items Not Tested	3	2.1	0.4×
body and structure	3	2.1	0.1×
drive system	2	1.4	0.1×
reg plates and vin	1	0.7	—

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 VENOM 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 VENOM.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1970 (98.6% pass). Weakest: 1955 (88.2%).

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 VENOM FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the VELOCETTE VENOM reliable?

The VELOCETTE VENOM is more reliable than average for its class: 94.4% of its 4,945 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #125 of 5426 models.

What does a VENOM fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 43% of all defects recorded against failed VENOM tests.

What is the best year of VENOM to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1970-registered examples do best (98.6%) and 1955 worst (88.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VENOM last?

The median VENOM shows 14,785 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 95.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.