BMW K 1600 MOT pass rate and common failures

BMW K 1600 motorcycles pass the MOT 95.62% of the time, measured across 1,484 tests in the DVSA record. A further 1.55% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 8.8 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 95.62% 1,419 of 1,484

Fixed at the station 1.55% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 19,181 miles

Average age at test 7.51 years old

Engine 1,649cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 BMW K 1600 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm - it accounts for 38.1% of failed tests on this model.
Then check too high and less than 1.0 mm thick, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.3% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 19,181 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
3-5 years	96.5%	428
6-10 years	95.55%	921
11-15 years	93.33%	135

Why the BMW K 1600 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	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	38.1%	16
2	Too high	26.2%	11
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	16.7%	7
4	Has negligible damping effect	14.3%	6
5	Rough when rotated	11.9%	5
6	Has a serious fluid leak	9.5%	4
7	Excessively binding	7.1%	3
8	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	7.1%	3
9	Not working	7.1%	3
10	Too low	7.1%	3

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	6.3%	93
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	5.4%	80
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2%	29
4	Tread not clearly visible	1.3%	20
5	Excessively distorted	1.1%	16
6	Excessively binding	0.7%	11
7	Has a serious fluid leak	0.7%	11
8	Has excessive play	0.7%	11
9	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	0.7%	11
10	Ferrule excessively corroded	0.7%	10

BMW K 1600 for sale

No BMW K 1600 in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.

Used BMW K 1600 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
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	9,521	94.43%	28,830
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373
BMW R 1200 · 1,170cc	6,170	95.28%	27,241
Triumph BONNEVILLE 1200cc · 1196-1200cc	5,527	91.62%	8,342
Suzuki GSF1200 · 1,159cc	4,061	84.68%	29,337
Yamaha XJR1300 · 1,251cc	3,805	90.43%	26,274

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

BMW K 1600 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW K 1600?+

95.62% of BMW K 1600 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 1,484 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW K 1600?+

Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, which appears in 38.1% of failed tests on this model.

Does the BMW K 1600 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 93.33%, against 96.5% for examples 3-5 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.