Harley-Davidson XR 1200 vs Triumph Bonneville

The Harley-Davidson XR 1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Bonneville: 90.0% vs 89.0%, a 1.0-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Harley-Davidson XR 1200	Triumph Bonneville
First-time pass rate	90.0%	89.0%
Outright fail rate	5.0%	5.0%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+2.7 pts	+1.6 pts
Engine size	1,200cc	865cc
Rank among all models	#960 of 5428	#1269 of 5428
Median miles at test	7,991	7,619
MOT tests analysed	3,008	195,256
Most common failure	tyres and wheels	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	Harley-Davidson XR 1200	Triumph Bonneville
Lights & signalling	2.1%	1.9%
Brakes	0.9%	1.9%
Tyres & wheels	1.7%	1.1%
Steering & suspension	1.0%	0.7%
Structure & body	0.2%	0.5%
Fuel & exhaust	0.0%	0.3%
Drive system	0.0%	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	Harley-Davidson XR 1200	Triumph Bonneville
2018	90.3%	88.7%
2019	91.0%	88.9%
2020	91.9%	91.1%
2021	91.7%	89.6%
2022	92.4%	89.4%
2023	90.6%	90.1%
2024	95.7%	90.6%
2025	97.2%	91.0%

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	Harley-Davidson XR 1200	Triumph Bonneville
0k-10k miles	90.0%	90.6%
10k-20k miles	90.7%	86.8%
20k-30k miles	86.6%	85.1%
30k-40k miles	88.5%	85.8%

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

Harley-Davidson XR 1200 vs Triumph Bonneville FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Harley-Davidson XR 1200 or the Triumph Bonneville?

The Harley-Davidson XR 1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Bonneville: 90.0% vs 89.0%, a 1.0-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Harley-Davidson XR 1200 still comes out ahead: +2.7 points vs comparable bikes for the Harley-Davidson XR 1200, +1.6 for the Triumph Bonneville. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Harley-Davidson XR 1200 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 2.1% of Harley-Davidson XR 1200 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.7%).

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 Harley-Davidson XR 1200 or the Triumph Bonneville?

At 30k-40k miles the Harley-Davidson XR 1200 passes first time more often: 88.5% for the Harley-Davidson XR 1200 vs 85.8% for the Triumph Bonneville.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XR 1200 90.0% pass · 3,008 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.