Royal Enfield Bullt vs Suzuki SV650S

The Royal Enfield Bullt passes its MOT first time more often than the Suzuki SV650S: 89.8% vs 80.6%, a 9.2-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Royal Enfield Bullt	Suzuki SV650S
First-time pass rate	89.8%	80.6%
Outright fail rate	4.5%	11.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+0.8 pts	-4.0 pts
Engine size	499cc	645cc
Rank among all models	#1025 of 5428	#3459 of 5428
Median miles at test	4,308	16,958
MOT tests analysed	5,661	84,632
Most common failure	lamps and reflectors	lighting and signalling

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	Royal Enfield Bullt	Suzuki SV650S
Lights & signalling	1.8%	5.0%
Brakes	1.1%	4.7%
Tyres & wheels	1.2%	3.0%
Steering & suspension	0.6%	2.5%
Structure & body	0.7%	0.9%
Drive system	0.1%	1.2%
Fuel & exhaust	0.1%	0.8%

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	Royal Enfield Bullt	Suzuki SV650S
2017	87.1%	78.3%
2018	90.7%	80.4%
2019	89.8%	80.0%
2020	91.0%	80.8%

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	Royal Enfield Bullt	Suzuki SV650S
0k-10k miles	90.7%	88.2%
10k-20k miles	85.0%	81.6%
20k-30k miles	84.0%	76.9%

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

Royal Enfield Bullt vs Suzuki SV650S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Royal Enfield Bullt or the Suzuki SV650S?

The Royal Enfield Bullt passes its MOT first time more often than the Suzuki SV650S: 89.8% vs 80.6%, a 9.2-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Royal Enfield Bullt still comes out ahead: +0.8 points vs comparable bikes for the Royal Enfield Bullt, -4.0 for the Suzuki SV650S. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Royal Enfield Bullt fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.8% of Royal Enfield Bullt MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.2%).

What does the Suzuki SV650S fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 5.0% of Suzuki SV650S MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (4.7%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Royal Enfield Bullt or the Suzuki SV650S?

At 20k-30k miles the Royal Enfield Bullt passes first time more often: 84.0% for the Royal Enfield Bullt vs 76.9% for the Suzuki SV650S.

ROYAL ENFIELD BULLT 89.8% pass · 5,661 tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests

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