BMW R1250 MOT pass rate and common failures

BMW R1250 motorcycles pass the MOT 96.17% of the time, measured across 6,764 tests in the DVSA record. A further 1.63% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 9.3 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 96.17% 6,505 of 6,764

Fixed at the station 1.63% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 17,373 miles

Average age at test 5.52 years old

Engine 1,254cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 BMW R1250 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with too low - it accounts for 26.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check less than 1.0 mm thick 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 (4.6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 17,373 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	96.09%		4,809
6-10 years	96.37%		1,955

Why the BMW R1250 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	Too low	26.8%	40
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	23.5%	35
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	22.1%	33
4	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	16.1%	24
5	Too high	12.8%	19
6	Not working	8.7%	13
7	Does not conform to the specified requirements	8.1%	12
8	Excessively binding	8.1%	12
9	Has insufficient reserve travel	8.1%	12
10	Insecure	5.4%	8

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	4.6%	308
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.8%	259
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	3%	200
4	Tread not clearly visible	0.9%	63
5	Excessively distorted	0.7%	49
6	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	0.7%	44
7	Excessively binding	0.6%	43
8	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	0.5%	31
9	Significantly and obviously worn	0.4%	26
10	Has a serious fluid leak	0.3%	17

BMW R1250 for sale

No BMW R1250 in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.

Used BMW R1250 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
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 R 1200 · 1,170cc	6,170	95.28%	27,241
Yamaha YZF R1 · 998cc	6,022	88.01%	23,152

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

BMW R1250 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW R1250?+

96.17% of BMW R1250 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 6,764 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW R1250?+

Too low, which appears in 26.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the BMW R1250 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 96.37%, against 96.09% 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.