BMW F 650 GS MOT pass rate and common failures

BMW F 650 GS motorcycles pass the MOT 89.36% of the time, measured across 404 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.21% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.5 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 89.36% 361 of 404

Fixed at the station 4.21% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 28,436 miles

Average age at test 15.7 years old

Engine 787cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 BMW F 650 GS adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

Start with has a serious fluid leak - it accounts for 30.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check too low and less than 1.0 mm thick, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is less than 1.0 mm thick (8.7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 28,436 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test	Pass rate		Tests
11-15 years	86.58%		231
16+ years	93.06%		173

Why the BMW F 650 GS fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

#	Item	Of failures	Tests
1	Has a serious fluid leak	30.8%	8
2	Too low	30.8%	8
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	19.2%	5
4	Excessively stiff or notchy	11.5%	3
5	Has excessive play	11.5%	3
6	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	11.5%	3
7	Too high	11.5%	3
8	Excessively binding	7.7%	2
9	Fractured	7.7%	2
10	Has insufficient reserve travel	7.7%	2

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

#	Item	Of all tests	Tests
1	Less than 1.0 mm thick	8.7%	35
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	7.2%	29
3	Excessively loose	3.2%	13
4	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2%	8
5	Excessively binding	1.7%	7
6	Has a serious fluid leak	1.7%	7
7	Excessively stiff or notchy	1.5%	6
8	Significantly and obviously worn	1.5%	6
9	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	1.2%	5
10	Tread not clearly visible	1.2%	5

BMW F 650 GS for sale

No BMW F 650 GS in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.

Used BMW F 650 GS Used BMW All BMW BMW MOT statistics

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Triumph TIGER · 969cc	16,144	91.27%	22,934
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
Yamaha YZF R1 · 998cc	6,022	88.01%	23,152
Yamaha MT 800-1000cc · 800-1000cc	5,720	90.98%	16,130
Honda NC · 741cc	5,311	89.53%	22,765

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

BMW F 650 GS MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW F 650 GS?+

89.36% of BMW F 650 GS MOT tests end in a pass, based on 404 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW F 650 GS?+

Has a serious fluid leak, which appears in 30.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the BMW F 650 GS get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 93.06%, against 86.58% for examples 11-15 years old.

Where does this data come from?+

From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.

Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+

Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.