Bsa Rocket 3 vs Triumph Bonneville

The Bsa Rocket 3 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Bonneville: 93.4% vs 89.0%, a 4.4-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Bsa Rocket 3	Triumph Bonneville
First-time pass rate	93.4%	89.0%
Outright fail rate	2.8%	5.0%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+9.2 pts	+1.6 pts
Engine size	750cc	865cc
Rank among all models	#245 of 5428	#1269 of 5428
Median miles at test	12,550	7,619
MOT tests analysed	973	195,256
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	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	Bsa Rocket 3	Triumph Bonneville
Lights & signalling	1.1%	1.9%
Brakes	0.7%	1.9%
Tyres & wheels	0.9%	1.1%
Steering & suspension	0.9%	0.7%
Fuel & exhaust	0.2%	0.3%
Structure & body	0%	0.5%
Drive system	0.1%	0.1%

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	Bsa Rocket 3	Triumph Bonneville
2011	91.2%	85.8%
2012	93.8%	87.1%
2013	92.6%	87.3%
2014	95.2%	87.9%
2015	93.8%	88.0%
2016	91.7%	88.6%
2017	94.7%	88.6%
2018	93.5%	88.7%

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	Bsa Rocket 3	Triumph Bonneville
0k-10k miles	92.9%	90.6%
10k-20k miles	94.4%	86.8%
20k-30k miles	94.4%	85.1%
30k-40k miles	91.1%	85.8%
40k-50k miles	97.6%	86.0%

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

Bsa Rocket 3 vs Triumph Bonneville FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Bsa Rocket 3 or the Triumph Bonneville?

The Bsa Rocket 3 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Bonneville: 93.4% vs 89.0%, a 4.4-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Bsa Rocket 3 still comes out ahead: +9.2 points vs comparable bikes for the Bsa Rocket 3, +1.6 for the Triumph Bonneville. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Bsa Rocket 3 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.1% of Bsa Rocket 3 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (0.9%).

What does the Triumph Bonneville fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.9% of Triumph Bonneville MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.9%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Bsa Rocket 3 or the Triumph Bonneville?

At 40k-50k miles the Bsa Rocket 3 passes first time more often: 97.6% for the Bsa Rocket 3 vs 86.0% for the Triumph Bonneville.

BSA ROCKET 3 93.4% pass · 973 tests TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests

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