BMW K Series MOT pass rate & common failures

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

3.2 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 K Series tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several, so these do not sum to 100%.

1. 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements15.4%

   46 occurrences

2. 2.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm10.1%

   30 occurrences

3. 3.A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely8.4%

   25 occurrences

4. 4.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake6.7%

   20 occurrences

5. 5.Brake efficiency below minimum requirement6.0%

   18 occurrences

6. 6.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution5.4%

   16 occurrences

7. 7.A wheel bearing excessively rough5.0%

   15 occurrences

8. 8.A wheel bearing with excessive play4.7%

   14 occurrences

9. 9.Exhaust system leaking or insecure3.7%

   11 occurrences

10. 10.A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps3.7%

    11 occurrences

11. 11.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning3.4%

    10 occurrences

12. 12.A lamp missing or inoperative2.7%

    8 occurrences

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all BMW K Series tests carrying each advisory.

1. 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements7.5%

   317 tests

2. 2.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution4.8%

   202 tests

3. 3.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm4.1%

   172 tests

4. 4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured2.8%

   120 tests

5. 5.A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely2.2%

   92 tests

6. 6.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements1.8%

   74 tests

7. 7.Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted1.8%

   74 tests

8. 8.Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn1.6%

   67 tests

What gets tested

The K Series fleet

Average mileage recorded at test

38,172

Test classes

class 2: 4,219

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 R Ninet94.3% raw
• All BMW motorcycles

Common questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a BMW K Series?

89.7% unadjusted, from 4,219 DVSA tests. The average across all motorcycles is 86.5%.

What does a BMW K Series fail its MOT on?

"Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" is recorded in 15.4% of failed BMW K Series tests, followed by "Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm" (10.1%). One failed test often lists several items.

What mileage does a BMW K Series usually have at its MOT?

38,172 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.