BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ Ducati 916/vs Triumph Sprint
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Ducati 916 vs Triumph Sprint

The Ducati 916 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Sprint: 87.0% vs 85.6%, a 1.4-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric Ducati 916 Triumph Sprint
First-time pass rate 87.0% 85.6%
Outright fail rate 7.3% 8.8%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) +2.5 pts +1.8 pts
Engine size 916cc 955cc
Rank among all models #1910 of 5428 #2333 of 5428
Median miles at test 15,678 20,615
MOT tests analysed 13,594 132,827
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.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better
Component Ducati 916 Triumph Sprint
Lights & signalling 4.2% 2.8%
Brakes 1.6% 3.7%
Steering & suspension 1.4% 2.5%
Tyres & wheels 1.2% 2.2%
Structure & body 0.4% 0.6%
Drive system 0.3% 0.4%
Fuel & exhaust 0.4% 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 Ducati 916 Triumph Sprint
2018 88.1% 86.2%
2019 90.5% 86.1%
2020 89.4% 86.4%
2021 90.2% 86.7%
2022 90.4% 85.9%
2023 90.5% 86.4%
2024 90.9% 86.8%
2025 89.2% 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 Ducati 916 Triumph Sprint
0k-10k miles 88.4% 90.9%
10k-20k miles 87.4% 87.5%
20k-30k miles 85.8% 85.0%
30k-40k miles 85.4% 82.1%
40k-50k miles 81.0% 80.3%
50k-60k miles 88.5% 79.3%

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

Ducati 916 vs Triumph Sprint FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Ducati 916 or the Triumph Sprint?

The Ducati 916 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Sprint: 87.0% vs 85.6%, a 1.4-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+2.5 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 Ducati 916 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 4.2% of Ducati 916 MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.6%).

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 Ducati 916 or the Triumph Sprint?

At 50k-60k miles the Ducati 916 passes first time more often: 88.5% for the Ducati 916 vs 79.3% for the Triumph Sprint.

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