Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin vs Triumph Tiger

The Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Tiger: 94.9% vs 89.6%, a 5.3-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger
First-time pass rate	94.9%	89.6%
Outright fail rate	2.6%	6.1%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+6.8 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	1,084cc	955cc
Rank among all models	#82 of 5428	#1077 of 5428
Median miles at test	8,330	16,462
MOT tests analysed	3,366	161,363
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 CRF1100L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger
Brakes	1.0%	3.0%
Steering & suspension	0.7%	1.5%
Lights & signalling	0.4%	1.7%
Tyres & wheels	0.8%	1.1%
Structure & body	0.3%	0.5%
Drive system	0%	0.3%
Fuel & exhaust	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	Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger
2022	93.5%	91.6%
2023	95.9%	90.9%
2024	94.8%	91.1%
2025	94.6%	91.4%

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 CRF1100L Africa Twin	Triumph Tiger
0k-10k miles	95.8%	93.4%
10k-20k miles	94.7%	90.9%
20k-30k miles	90.5%	87.8%
30k-40k miles	89.4%	85.1%

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

Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin vs Triumph Tiger FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin or the Triumph Tiger?

The Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Tiger: 94.9% vs 89.6%, a 5.3-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin still comes out ahead: +6.8 points vs comparable bikes for the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin, +4.5 for the Triumph Tiger. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 1.0% of Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (0.8%).

What does the Triumph Tiger fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 3.0% of Triumph Tiger MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (1.7%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin or the Triumph Tiger?

At 30k-40k miles the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin passes first time more often: 89.4% for the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin vs 85.1% for the Triumph Tiger.

HONDA CRF1100L Africa Twin 94.9% pass · 3,366 tests TRIUMPH TIGER 89.6% pass · 161k tests

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