BMW K 1300 MOT pass rate and common failures

BMW K 1300 motorcycles pass the MOT 93.66% of the time, measured across 489 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.25% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 6.8 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 93.66% 458 of 489

Fixed at the station 2.25% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 25,213 miles

Average age at test 10.86 years old

Engine 1,293cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 BMW K 1300 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with less than 1.0 mm thick - it accounts for 25% of failed tests on this model.
Then check too high and too low, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (4.7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 25,213 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
6-10 years	94.89%		313
11-15 years	91.18%		170

Why the BMW K 1300 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	Less than 1.0 mm thick	25%	5
2	Too high	20%	4
3	Too low	20%	4
4	Does not conform to the specified requirements	10%	2
5	Excessively binding	10%	2
6	Missing	10%	2
7	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	10%	2
8	Excessively distorted	5%	1
9	Ferrule excessively corroded and likely to fail	5%	1
10	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	5%	1

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	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.7%	23
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.3%	16
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.2%	11
4	Excessively binding	1.6%	8
5	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	1.6%	8
6	Tread not clearly visible	1.6%	8
7	Has excessive play	1.2%	6
8	Component ball joint excessively worn	0.8%	4
9	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	0.8%	4
10	Corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened	0.6%	3

BMW K 1300 for sale

No BMW K 1300 in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.

Used BMW K 1300 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
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	9,521	94.43%	28,830
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373
BMW R 1200 · 1,170cc	6,170	95.28%	27,241

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

BMW K 1300 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW K 1300?+

93.66% of BMW K 1300 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 489 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW K 1300?+

Less than 1.0 mm thick, which appears in 25% of failed tests on this model.

Does the BMW K 1300 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 91.18%, against 94.89% for examples 6-10 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.