Triumph Thunderbird MOT pass rate & common failures

At a glance

Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage

2.2 points above the fleet average of 86.5%.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Triumph Thunderbird 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 requirements17.8%

   36 occurrences

2. 2.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm13.4%

   27 occurrences

3. 3.A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely12.4%

   25 occurrences

4. 4.A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps9.9%

   20 occurrences

5. 5.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution9.4%

   19 occurrences

6. 6.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.9%

   16 occurrences

7. 7.Rear registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps5.0%

   10 occurrences

8. 8.Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements5.0%

   10 occurrences

9. 9.A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released4.5%

   9 occurrences

10. 10.Projected beam image is obviously incorrect4.5%

    9 occurrences

11. 11.A lamp missing or inoperative4.5%

    9 occurrences

12. 12.Audible warning not working4.0%

    8 occurrences

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Triumph Thunderbird tests carrying each advisory.

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

   244 tests

2. 2.Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm4.2%

   136 tests

3. 3.Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted3.4%

   110 tests

4. 4.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution2.8%

   92 tests

5. 5.A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely2.7%

   87 tests

6. 6.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements1.5%

   49 tests

7. 7.Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn1.1%

   37 tests

8. 8.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured0.9%

   28 tests

How wear changes the picture

Thunderbird pass rate by age and registration year

What gets tested

The Thunderbird fleet

Average mileage recorded at test

18,950

Test classes

class 2: 3,246

Compare within the range

Other Triumph motorcycles

• Triumph Tiger91.2%
• Triumph Bonneville90.0%
• Triumph Speed Triple87.7%
• Triumph Sprint86.8% raw
• Triumph Street91.4% raw
• Triumph Street Triple87.8%
• All Triumph motorcycles

Common questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a Triumph Thunderbird?

88.7% once adjusted for the age and mileage of the motorcycles tested, ranking 18 of 36 motorcycle models, from 3,246 DVSA tests. The average across all motorcycles is 86.5%.

What does a Triumph Thunderbird fail its MOT on?

"Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" is recorded in 17.8% of failed Triumph Thunderbird tests, followed by "Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm" (13.4%). One failed test often lists several items.

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

18,950 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.