Enfield Bullet vs Yamaha RD350

The Enfield Bullet passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 88.8% vs 86.3%, a 2.5-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Enfield Bullet	Yamaha RD350
First-time pass rate	88.8%	86.3%
Outright fail rate	5.2%	6.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+1.7 pts	+2.4 pts
Engine size	350cc	347cc
Rank among all models	#1332 of 5428	#2120 of 5428
Median miles at test	7,051	23,256
MOT tests analysed	1,335	19,574
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	lighting and signalling

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	Enfield Bullet	Yamaha RD350
Lights & signalling	2.8%	3.2%
Steering & suspension	1.0%	2.5%
Brakes	0.7%	2.7%
Tyres & wheels	0.7%	0.9%
Drive system	0.4%	0.5%
Fuel & exhaust	0.3%	0.4%
Structure & body	0.3%	0.4%

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	Enfield Bullet	Yamaha RD350
2018	90.0%	88.8%
2019	88.9%	91.0%
2020	93.2%	92.0%
2021	82.4%	90.1%
2022	83.7%	90.5%
2023	91.8%	92.2%
2024	83.9%	94.8%
2025	91.4%	93.5%

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	Enfield Bullet	Yamaha RD350
0k-10k miles	88.0%	88.9%
10k-20k miles	88.6%	87.5%
20k-30k miles	84.0%	85.5%
30k-40k miles	95.2%	85.3%

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

Enfield Bullet vs Yamaha RD350 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Enfield Bullet or the Yamaha RD350?

The Enfield Bullet passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 88.8% vs 86.3%, a 2.5-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+1.7 vs +2.4 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 Enfield Bullet fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 2.8% of Enfield Bullet MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (1.0%).

What does the Yamaha RD350 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.2% of Yamaha RD350 MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (2.7%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Enfield Bullet or the Yamaha RD350?

At 30k-40k miles the Enfield Bullet passes first time more often: 95.2% for the Enfield Bullet vs 85.3% for the Yamaha RD350.

ENFIELD BULLET 88.8% pass · 1,335 tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests

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