BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200/vs Triumph Bonneville
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 vs Triumph Bonneville

The Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Bonneville: 91.5% vs 89.0%, a 2.5-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 Triumph Bonneville
First-time pass rate 91.5% 89.0%
Outright fail rate 3.7% 5.0%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) +1.9 pts +1.6 pts
Engine size 1,203cc 865cc
Rank among all models #567 of 5428 #1269 of 5428
Median miles at test 3,734 7,619
MOT tests analysed 752 195,256
Most common failure lamps and reflectors 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 Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 Triumph Bonneville
Lights & signalling 1.6% 1.9%
Brakes 1.2% 1.9%
Tyres & wheels 0.3% 1.1%
Steering & suspension 0.4% 0.7%
Structure & body 0.4% 0.5%
Fuel & exhaust 0% 0.3%
Drive system 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 Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 Triumph Bonneville
2022 91.1% 89.4%
2023 92.1% 90.1%
2024 89.7% 90.6%
2025 93.3% 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 Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 Triumph Bonneville
0k-10k miles 91.5% 90.6%
10k-20k miles 92.5% 86.8%

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

Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 vs Triumph Bonneville FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 or the Triumph Bonneville?

The Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the Triumph Bonneville: 91.5% vs 89.0%, a 2.5-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+1.9 vs +1.6 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 Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.6% of Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.2%).

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%).

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