BMW R 1250 GS TE MOT pass rate and common failures
BMW R 1250 GS TE motorcycles pass the MOT 96.46% of the time, measured across 2,512 tests in the DVSA record. A further 1.55% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort - it accounts for 30% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check too high and too low, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort (3.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 12,060 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 | 96.46% | 2,512 |
Why the BMW R 1250 GS TE 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 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 30% | 15 | |
| 2 | Too high | 24% | 12 | |
| 3 | Too low | 18% | 9 | |
| 4 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 16% | 8 | |
| 5 | Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | 10% | 5 | |
| 6 | Insecure | 10% | 5 | |
| 7 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 10% | 5 | |
| 8 | Adversely affected by the operation of another lamp | 6% | 3 | |
| 9 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 6% | 3 | |
| 10 | Excessively binding | 6% | 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 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 3.5% | 89 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 3.4% | 85 | |
| 3 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.1% | 54 | |
| 4 | Tread not clearly visible | 0.8% | 19 | |
| 5 | Excessively distorted | 0.6% | 16 | |
| 6 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 0.6% | 15 | |
| 7 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 0.2% | 6 | |
| 8 | Significantly and obviously worn | 0.2% | 6 | |
| 9 | Excessively binding | 0.2% | 5 | |
| 10 | Has excessive play | 0.2% | 4 |
BMW R 1250 GS TE for sale
No BMW R 1250 GS TE in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.
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