Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin vs Triumph Tiger 800

The Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Tiger 800: 95.3% vs 91.6%, a 3.7-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger 800
First-time pass rate	95.3%	91.6%
Outright fail rate	2.6%	4.8%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+8.2 pts	+6.5 pts
Engine size	998cc	800cc
Rank among all models	#54 of 5428	#546 of 5428
Median miles at test	10,908	16,027
MOT tests analysed	21,673	6,797
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	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger 800
Brakes	1.0%	1.8%
Steering & suspension	0.9%	1.2%
Tyres & wheels	0.7%	1.1%
Lights & signalling	0.2%	1.1%
Structure & body	0.4%	0.5%
Drive system	0%	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	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger 800
2019	94.2%	90.5%
2020	96.2%	92.6%
2021	95.5%	90.9%
2022	95.6%	92.8%
2023	95.5%	90.2%
2024	94.6%	92.1%
2025	94.5%	89.4%

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	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger 800
0k-10k miles	97.0%	94.4%
10k-20k miles	94.8%	91.9%
20k-30k miles	92.4%	90.2%
30k-40k miles	89.6%	89.0%
40k-50k miles	88.6%	86.5%
50k-60k miles	90.8%	86.5%

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

Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin vs Triumph Tiger 800 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin or the Triumph Tiger 800?

The Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Tiger 800: 95.3% vs 91.6%, a 3.7-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin still comes out ahead: +8.2 points vs comparable bikes for the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin, +6.5 for the Triumph Tiger 800. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

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%).

What does the Triumph Tiger 800 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 1.8% of Triumph Tiger 800 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (1.2%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin or the Triumph Tiger 800?

At 50k-60k miles the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin passes first time more often: 90.8% for the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin vs 86.5% for the Triumph Tiger 800.

HONDA CRF1000L Africa Twin 95.3% pass · 21.7k tests TRIUMPH TIGER 800 91.6% pass · 6,797 tests

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