Ducati Multistrada 950 S vs Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin

The Ducati Multistrada 950 S passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin: 96.1% vs 95.3%, a 0.8-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Ducati Multistrada 950 S	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
First-time pass rate	96.1%	95.3%
Outright fail rate	2.4%	2.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+8.1 pts	+8.2 pts
Engine size	937cc	998cc
Rank among all models	#22 of 5428	#54 of 5428
Median miles at test	8,436	10,908
MOT tests analysed	1,165	21,673
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	Ducati Multistrada 950 S	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
Brakes	0.9%	1.0%
Steering & suspension	0.3%	0.9%
Tyres & wheels	0.5%	0.7%
Structure & body	0.4%	0.4%
Lights & signalling	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 Multistrada 950 S	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
2022	95.2%	95.6%
2023	95.2%	95.5%
2024	98.5%	94.6%
2025	95.1%	94.5%

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 Multistrada 950 S	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
0k-10k miles	97.2%	97.0%
10k-20k miles	95.5%	94.8%
20k-30k miles	92.5%	92.4%

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

Ducati Multistrada 950 S vs Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Ducati Multistrada 950 S or the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin?

The Ducati Multistrada 950 S passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin: 96.1% vs 95.3%, a 0.8-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+8.1 vs +8.2 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 Multistrada 950 S fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 0.9% of Ducati Multistrada 950 S MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (0.5%).

What does the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 1.0% of Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (0.9%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Ducati Multistrada 950 S or the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin?

They are level: at 20k-30k miles the Ducati Multistrada 950 S passes 92.5% first time and the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin 92.4%.

DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950 S 96.1% pass · 1,165 tests HONDA CRF1000L Africa Twin 95.3% pass · 21.7k tests

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