BMW R850 MOT pass rate and common failures

BMW R850 motorcycles pass the MOT 85.29% of the time, measured across 510 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.47% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 1.6 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 85.29% 435 of 510

Fixed at the station 6.47% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 40,335 miles

Average age at test 24.56 years old

Engine 850cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 BMW R850 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with not working - it accounts for 50% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls and too low, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 40,335 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	85.27%		509

Why the BMW R850 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	50%	21
2	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	16.7%	7
3	Too low	16.7%	7
4	Has a serious fluid leak	11.9%	5
5	Less than 1.0 mm thick	11.9%	5
6	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	9.5%	4
7	Not working on dipped beam	9.5%	4
8	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	9.5%	4
9	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	7.1%	3
10	Insecure	7.1%	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	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	6.5%	33
2	Has a serious fluid leak	5.5%	28
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	3.3%	17
4	Excessively binding	2.7%	14
5	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	2.7%	14
6	Has excessive play	2.4%	12
7	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.2%	11
8	Tread not clearly visible	2%	10
9	Excessively distorted	1.8%	9
10	Seriously damaged	1.4%	7

BMW R850 for sale

No BMW R850 in stock at the moment - 86 other BMW bikes are advertised.

Used BMW R850 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 S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
Yamaha YZF R1 · 998cc	6,022	88.01%	23,152
Yamaha MT 800-1000cc · 800-1000cc	5,720	90.98%	16,130
Honda NC · 741cc	5,311	89.53%	22,765

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

BMW R850 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW R850?+

85.29% of BMW R850 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 510 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW R850?+

Not working, which appears in 50% of failed tests on this model.

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.