MV Agusta F4 vs BMW R1200

The BMW R1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the MV Agusta F4: 92.9% vs 86.7%, a 6.2-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	MV Agusta F4	BMW R1200
First-time pass rate	86.7%	92.9%
Outright fail rate	6.9%	3.7%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	-0.5 pts	+8.6 pts
Engine size	998cc	1,170cc
Rank among all models	#1985 of 5428	#315 of 5428
Median miles at test	7,226	20,069
MOT tests analysed	8,072	299,381
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	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	MV Agusta F4	BMW R1200
Lights & signalling	3.9%	0.9%
Brakes	1.6%	1.5%
Steering & suspension	1.9%	0.7%
Tyres & wheels	1.1%	1.0%
Structure & body	0.6%	0.1%
Drive system	0.2%	0%
Fuel & exhaust	0.1%	0.0%

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	MV Agusta F4	BMW R1200
2018	89.4%	93.0%
2019	88.3%	93.6%
2020	87.7%	94.0%
2021	89.7%	93.9%
2022	87.7%	93.8%
2023	89.0%	94.1%
2024	87.6%	94.0%
2025	89.1%	94.2%

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	MV Agusta F4	BMW R1200
0k-10k miles	88.0%	94.8%
10k-20k miles	85.0%	93.7%
20k-30k miles	84.0%	92.8%
30k-40k miles	87.5%	91.9%

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

MV Agusta F4 vs BMW R1200 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the MV Agusta F4 or the BMW R1200?

The BMW R1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the MV Agusta F4: 92.9% vs 86.7%, a 6.2-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the BMW R1200 still comes out ahead: -0.5 points vs comparable bikes for the MV Agusta F4, +8.6 for the BMW R1200. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the MV Agusta F4 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.9% of MV Agusta F4 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (1.9%).

What does the BMW R1200 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 1.5% of BMW R1200 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.0%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the MV Agusta F4 or the BMW R1200?

At 30k-40k miles the BMW R1200 passes first time more often: 87.5% for the MV Agusta F4 vs 91.9% for the BMW R1200.

MV AGUSTA F4 86.7% pass · 8,072 tests BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests

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