Buell XB9S Lightning vs Triumph Sprint

The Buell XB9S Lightning passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Sprint: 86.3% vs 85.6%, a 0.7-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Buell XB9S Lightning	Triumph Sprint
First-time pass rate	86.3%	85.6%
Outright fail rate	7.1%	8.8%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+0.3 pts	+1.8 pts
Engine size	984cc	955cc
Median miles at test	9,385	20,615
MOT tests analysed	197	132,827
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.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Buell XB9S Lightning	Triumph Sprint
0k-10k miles	85.6%	90.9%
10k-20k miles	82.4%	87.5%

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

BUELL XB9S LIGHTNING 86.3% pass · 197 tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests

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