BMW F 800 MOT pass rate & common failures

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

6.6 points above the fleet average of 86.5%. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare fairly against the rest of the fleet, so no rank is claimed; the failure record below stands on its own.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed BMW F 800 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several, so these do not sum to 100%.

1. 1.A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely28.6%

   26 occurrences

2. 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements17.6%

   16 occurrences

3. 3.Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play11.0%

   10 occurrences

4. 4.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution8.8%

   8 occurrences

5. 5.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm7.7%

   7 occurrences

6. 6.Audible warning not working4.4%

   4 occurrences

7. 7.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake4.4%

   4 occurrences

8. 8.A shock absorber bush excessively worn4.4%

   4 occurrences

9. 9.Projected beam image is obviously incorrect3.3%

   3 occurrences

10. 10.A tyre cords exposed or damaged3.3%

    3 occurrences

11. 11.A brake lining or pad contaminated with oil, grease etc2.2%

    2 occurrences

12. 12.A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED2.2%

    2 occurrences

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all BMW F 800 tests carrying each advisory.

1. 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements6.2%

   150 tests

2. 2.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm3.6%

   87 tests

3. 3.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution3.3%

   79 tests

4. 4.Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play2.5%

   60 tests

5. 5.A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely1.8%

   44 tests

6. 6.Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted1.5%

   35 tests

7. 7.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements1.0%

   24 tests

8. 8.A transmission belt, chain, sprocket or pulley excessively loose or worn1.0%

   23 tests

How wear changes the picture

F 800 pass rate by age and registration year

What gets tested

The F 800 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test

18,845

Test classes

class 2: 2,399 · class 1: 5

Compare within the range

Other BMW motorcycles

• BMW R Series91.9% raw
• BMW R120094.9%
• BMW S 100091.8%
• BMW R125096.2% raw
• BMW R 120095.3% raw
• BMW K Series89.7% raw
• All BMW motorcycles

Common questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a BMW F 800?

93.2% unadjusted, from 2,404 DVSA tests. The average across all motorcycles is 86.5%.

What does a BMW F 800 fail its MOT on?

"A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely" is recorded in 28.6% of failed BMW F 800 tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (17.6%). One failed test often lists several items.

What mileage does a BMW F 800 usually have at its MOT?

18,845 miles on average across every age tested, so a description of the fleet rather than an annual figure. Motorcycle mileages are low and vary enormously with use; a commuter bike and a weekend bike of the same age can differ by a factor of ten.