BMW R1200 MOT pass rate and common failures

BMW R1200 motorcycles pass the MOT 94.43% of the time, measured across 9,521 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.16% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 7.6 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 94.43% 8,991 of 9,521

Fixed at the station 2.16% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 28,830 miles

Average age at test 11.2 years old

Engine 1,170cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 BMW R1200 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 23.1% of failed tests on this model.
Then check too low 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 (5.1% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 28,830 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	95.78%	5,776
11-15 years	94.21%	1,434
16+ years	91.19%	2,282

Why the BMW R1200 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	23.1%	75
2	Too low	19.4%	63
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	19.1%	62
4	Not working	14.5%	47
5	Too high	13%	42
6	Has a serious fluid leak	9%	29
7	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	8%	26
8	Has insufficient reserve travel	6.5%	21
9	Has negligible damping effect	6.5%	21
10	Excessively binding	5.6%	18

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%	489
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	4.7%	447
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	3%	287
4	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	1.2%	118
5	Tread not clearly visible	1%	94
6	Significantly and obviously worn	0.9%	89
7	Has a serious fluid leak	0.9%	85
8	Has excessive play	0.9%	82
9	Excessively binding	0.8%	76
10	Excessively distorted	0.6%	56

BMW R1200 for sale

No BMW R1200 in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.

Used BMW R1200 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 R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
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 R1200 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW R1200?+

94.43% of BMW R1200 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 9,521 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW R1200?+

Less than 1.0 mm thick, which appears in 23.1% of failed tests on this model.

Does the BMW R1200 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 91.19%, against 95.78% 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.