BMW R SERIES MOT pass rate and common failures

BMW R SERIES motorcycles pass the MOT 91.92% of the time, measured across 9,796 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.81% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 5 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 91.92% 9,004 of 9,796

Fixed at the station 2.81% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 40,594 miles

Average age at test 18.03 years old

Engine 1,152cc MOT class 1 and 2

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What to check before the MOT

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

Start with not working - it accounts for 23.2% of failed tests on this model.
Then check too low and less than 1.0 mm thick, the next two most common reasons.
Age matters here: 96.3% of 6-10 year old examples pass, against 90.28% at 16+ years - a gap of 6 points.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (5.1% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 40,594 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	96.3%	486
11-15 years	93.91%	3,626
16+ years	90.28%	5,681

Why the BMW R SERIES 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	Not working	23.2%	120
2	Too low	18.4%	95
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	15.1%	78
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	12.8%	66
5	Has a serious fluid leak	10.1%	52
6	Excessively binding	9.1%	47
7	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	8.7%	45
8	Too high	7.7%	40
9	Remains on when the brakes are released	5.6%	29
10	Not working on dipped beam	5.4%	28

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	5.1%	500
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.9%	383
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	3.7%	361
4	Excessively binding	2.2%	220
5	Has a serious fluid leak	1.8%	175
6	Significantly and obviously worn	1.6%	159
7	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	1.6%	158
8	Has excessive play	1.4%	141
9	Tread not clearly visible	1.1%	110
10	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	0.6%	63

BMW R SERIES for sale

No BMW R SERIES in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.

Used BMW R SERIES 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 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 R SERIES MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW R SERIES?+

91.92% of BMW R SERIES MOT tests end in a pass, based on 9,796 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW R SERIES?+

Not working, which appears in 23.2% of failed tests on this model.

Does the BMW R SERIES get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 90.28%, against 96.3% 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.