BMW R1100 MOT pass rate and common failures
BMW R1100 motorcycles pass the MOT 88% of the time, measured across 1,200 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.08% 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 not working - it accounts for 27.4% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check has a serious fluid leak and tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 42,418 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16+ years | 87.98% | 1,198 |
Why the BMW R1100 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 | 27.4% | 26 | |
| 2 | Has a serious fluid leak | 22.1% | 21 | |
| 3 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 18.9% | 18 | |
| 4 | Excessively binding | 15.8% | 15 | |
| 5 | Missing | 8.4% | 8 | |
| 6 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 7.4% | 7 | |
| 7 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 7.4% | 7 | |
| 8 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 7.4% | 7 | |
| 9 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 5.3% | 5 | |
| 10 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 5.3% | 5 |
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 | 6.6% | 79 | |
| 2 | Excessively binding | 5% | 60 | |
| 3 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 4.9% | 59 | |
| 4 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 4% | 48 | |
| 5 | Has a serious fluid leak | 3.4% | 41 | |
| 6 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 2.8% | 34 | |
| 7 | Has excessive play | 2.3% | 27 | |
| 8 | Significantly and obviously worn | 2.3% | 27 | |
| 9 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.9% | 23 | |
| 10 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 1.3% | 15 |
BMW R1100 for sale
No BMW R1100 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 | |
| Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc | 12,456 | 90.8% | 12,824 | |
| 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 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method