BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ Aprilia Caponord/vs Triumph Sprint
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Aprilia Caponord vs Triumph Sprint

The Aprilia Caponord passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Sprint: 87.2% vs 85.6%, a 1.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric Aprilia Caponord Triumph Sprint
First-time pass rate 87.2% 85.6%
Outright fail rate 7.6% 8.8%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) +2.3 pts +1.8 pts
Engine size 998cc 955cc
Rank among all models #1855 of 5428 #2333 of 5428
Median miles at test 16,471 20,615
MOT tests analysed 4,680 132,827
Most common failure brakes brakes

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better
Component Aprilia Caponord Triumph Sprint
Brakes 3.1% 3.7%
Lights & signalling 2.5% 2.8%
Steering & suspension 2.3% 2.5%
Tyres & wheels 1.2% 2.2%
Structure & body 0.5% 0.6%
Drive system 0.3% 0.4%
Fuel & exhaust 0.1% 0.2%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested
Test year Aprilia Caponord Triumph Sprint
2018 88.8% 86.2%
2019 87.2% 86.1%
2020 89.9% 86.4%
2021 87.2% 86.7%
2022 89.6% 85.9%
2023 90.8% 86.4%
2024 90.2% 86.8%
2025 93.2% 86.8%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test
Mileage Aprilia Caponord Triumph Sprint
0k-10k miles 90.5% 90.9%
10k-20k miles 88.1% 87.5%
20k-30k miles 85.9% 85.0%
30k-40k miles 82.0% 82.1%
40k-50k miles 84.4% 80.3%
50k-60k miles 75.9% 79.3%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

Aprilia Caponord vs Triumph Sprint FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Aprilia Caponord or the Triumph Sprint?

The Aprilia Caponord passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Sprint: 87.2% vs 85.6%, a 1.6-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+2.3 vs +1.8 points against comparable bikes), so the raw gap is mostly down to how old and how used each fleet is. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Aprilia Caponord fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 3.1% of Aprilia Caponord MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (2.5%).

What does the Triumph Sprint fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 3.7% of Triumph Sprint MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (2.8%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Aprilia Caponord or the Triumph Sprint?

At 50k-60k miles the Triumph Sprint passes first time more often: 75.9% for the Aprilia Caponord vs 79.3% for the Triumph Sprint.

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.