Triumph Bonneville MOT pass rate & common failures

At a glance

Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage

3.4 points above the fleet average of 86.5%.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Triumph Bonneville 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 requirements13.8%

   123 occurrences

2. 2.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm12.5%

   111 occurrences

3. 3.Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements9.9%

   88 occurrences

4. 4.Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear8.4%

   75 occurrences

5. 5.A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.0%

   62 occurrences

6. 6.A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED6.3%

   56 occurrences

7. 7.Audible warning not working5.8%

   52 occurrences

8. 8.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning5.4%

   48 occurrences

9. 9.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake5.3%

   47 occurrences

10. 10.A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released4.4%

    39 occurrences

11. 11.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution3.9%

    35 occurrences

12. 12.A lamp missing or inoperative3.6%

    32 occurrences

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Triumph Bonneville tests carrying each advisory.

1. 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements5.2%

   1,087 tests

2. 2.Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted4.6%

   948 tests

3. 3.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm3.9%

   802 tests

4. 4.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution1.7%

   352 tests

5. 5.A transmission belt, chain, sprocket or pulley excessively loose or worn1.7%

   347 tests

6. 6.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements1.1%

   227 tests

7. 7.Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play1.0%

   198 tests

8. 8.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake0.7%

   148 tests

How wear changes the picture

Bonneville pass rate by age and registration year

What gets tested

The Bonneville fleet

Average mileage recorded at test

11,436

Test classes

class 2: 20,774 · class 1: 26

Compare within the range

Other Triumph motorcycles

• Triumph Tiger91.2%
• Triumph Speed Triple87.7%
• Triumph Sprint86.8% raw
• Triumph Street91.4% raw
• Triumph Street Triple87.8%
• Triumph Daytona86.3% raw
• All Triumph motorcycles

Common questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a Triumph Bonneville?

90.0% once adjusted for the age and mileage of the motorcycles tested, ranking 9 of 36 motorcycle models, from 20,800 DVSA tests. The average across all motorcycles is 86.5%.

What does a Triumph Bonneville fail its MOT on?

"Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" is recorded in 13.8% of failed Triumph Bonneville tests, followed by "Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm" (12.5%). One failed test often lists several items.

What mileage does a Triumph Bonneville usually have at its MOT?

11,436 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.