Ducati 959 MOT pass rate and common failures

Ducati 959 motorcycles pass the MOT 90.89% of the time, measured across 428 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.97% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 4 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 90.89% 389 of 428

Fixed at the station 3.97% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 9,032 miles

Average age at test 8.08 years old

Engine 955cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Ducati 959 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 68.2% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working and obviously incorrectly positioned, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (10.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 9,032 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	90.65%		417

Why the Ducati 959 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	Missing	68.2%	15
2	Not working	45.5%	10
3	Obviously incorrectly positioned	18.2%	4
4	Adversely affected by the operation of another lamp	9.1%	2
5	Does not conform to the specified requirements	9.1%	2
6	Effort inadequate at a wheel	9.1%	2
7	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	9.1%	2
8	Insecure	9.1%	2
9	Missing in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	9.1%	2
10	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	4.5%	1

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	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	10.5%	45
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.9%	21
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.8%	12
4	Excessively loose	1.4%	6
5	Tread not clearly visible	0.7%	3
6	Worn to excess	0.7%	3
7	Excessively binding	0.5%	2
8	Has a serious fluid leak	0.5%	2
9	Chain guard missing	0.2%	1
10	Ferrule excessively corroded	0.2%	1

Ducati 959 for sale

No Ducati 959 in stock at the moment - 49 other Ducati bikes are advertised.

Used Ducati 959 Used Ducati All Ducati Ducati 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 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

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

Ducati 959 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Ducati 959?+

90.89% of Ducati 959 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 428 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Ducati 959?+

Missing, which appears in 68.2% 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.