BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ KTM 690 Duke 12/vs Triumph Street Triple
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

KTM 690 Duke 12 vs Triumph Street Triple

The Triumph Street Triple passes its MOT first time more often than the KTM 690 Duke 12: 87.7% vs 85.1%, a 2.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric KTM 690 Duke 12 Triumph Street Triple
First-time pass rate 85.1% 87.7%
Outright fail rate 6.6% 5.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) -2.4 pts +1.3 pts
Engine size 690cc 675cc
Rank among all models #2469 of 5428 #1695 of 5428
Median miles at test 8,054 11,189
MOT tests analysed 1,077 37,699
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 KTM 690 Duke 12 Triumph Street Triple
Lights & signalling 4.3% 2.6%
Tyres & wheels 1.6% 1.2%
Steering & suspension 1.1% 1.2%
Brakes 0.6% 1.6%
Structure & body 0.5% 0.7%
Drive system 0.1% 0.2%
Fuel & exhaust 0.2% 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 KTM 690 Duke 12 Triumph Street Triple
2018 87.4% 87.8%
2019 85.5% 87.9%
2020 86.3% 89.6%
2021 86.9% 87.2%
2022 86.7% 87.3%
2023 80.2% 87.5%
2024 84.8% 88.0%
2025 84.4% 86.4%

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 KTM 690 Duke 12 Triumph Street Triple
0k-10k miles 87.5% 91.3%
10k-20k miles 82.6% 86.7%
20k-30k miles 79.2% 82.7%

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

KTM 690 Duke 12 vs Triumph Street Triple FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the KTM 690 Duke 12 or the Triumph Street Triple?

The Triumph Street Triple passes its MOT first time more often than the KTM 690 Duke 12: 87.7% vs 85.1%, a 2.6-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Triumph Street Triple still comes out ahead: -2.4 points vs comparable bikes for the KTM 690 Duke 12, +1.3 for the Triumph Street Triple. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the KTM 690 Duke 12 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 4.3% of KTM 690 Duke 12 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.6%).

What does the Triumph Street Triple fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 2.6% of Triumph Street Triple MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (1.6%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the KTM 690 Duke 12 or the Triumph Street Triple?

At 20k-30k miles the Triumph Street Triple passes first time more often: 79.2% for the KTM 690 Duke 12 vs 82.7% for the Triumph Street Triple.

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