BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ VELOCETTE/VENOM
Model report · 2005–2025

VELOCETTE VENOM

500cc Petrol Class 2
#126 of 5428 overall #4 of 13 VELOCETTEs #82 of 2788 other bikes
94.4%
first-time pass rate
1.5%
failed outright
14,614
median miles at test
5,005
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+9.8pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

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 (95.2% → 95.4%).

90%94%98%2005: 95.2% pass (105 tests)2006: 96.1% pass (533 tests)2007: 94.1% pass (478 tests)2008: 94.0% pass (487 tests)2009: 92.5% pass (478 tests)2010: 95.1% pass (467 tests)2011: 91.2% pass (479 tests)2012: 94.9% pass (430 tests)2013: 92.0% pass (286 tests)2014: 96.0% pass (323 tests)2015: 96.6% pass (293 tests)2016: 94.2% pass (259 tests)2017: 96.4% pass (253 tests)2018: 95.4% pass (65 tests)20052018

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 94.1% of the time; by 50k that's 95.3%.

90%93%96%0k: 94.1% pass (2,001 tests)10k: 95.2% pass (899 tests)20k: 95.2% pass (604 tests)30k: 95.2% pass (543 tests)40k: 91.2% pass (308 tests)50k: 95.3% pass (275 tests)0k30k50k

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 Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
63 42.9 0.2×
steering and suspension
29 19.7 0.2×
brakes
18 12.2 0.1×
tyres and wheels
14 9.5 0.1×
fuel and exhaust
10 6.8 0.2×
driving controls
4 2.7 0.3×
Items Not Tested
3 2 0.4×
body and structure
3 2 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 Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Venom

More VELOCETTE models

other VELOCETTE bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
VELOCETTE VIPER 93.8% pass · 1,970 tests
VELOCETTE LE 92.2% pass · 1,968 tests
VELOCETTE MAC 92.5% pass · 1,489 tests
VELOCETTE MSS 95.2% pass · 1,232 tests
VELOCETTE THRUXTON 95.3% pass · 570 tests
VELOCETTE KSS 92.3% pass · 559 tests

See all VELOCETTE models →

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%).

86%93%100%1954: 92.4% pass (66 tests)1955: 88.2% pass (85 tests)1956: 92.2% pass (128 tests)1957: 94.0% pass (215 tests)1958: 95.3% pass (343 tests)1959: 95.1% pass (690 tests)1960: 93.9% pass (1,139 tests)1961: 93.8% pass (547 tests)1962: 94.2% pass (448 tests)1963: 94.7% pass (303 tests)1964: 95.8% pass (189 tests)1965: 96.0% pass (200 tests)1966: 95.5% pass (176 tests)1967: 97.6% pass (127 tests)1968: 97.7% pass (86 tests)1969: 94.8% pass (58 tests)1970: 98.6% pass (69 tests)1971: 91.0% pass (111 tests)195419631971

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 5,005 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #126 of 5428 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 14,614 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 95.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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