Ducati 996 MOT pass rate and common failures

Ducati 996 motorcycles pass the MOT 93.88% of the time, measured across 474 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.8% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 7 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 93.88% 445 of 474

Fixed at the station 3.8% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 16,847 miles

Average age at test 24.8 years old

Engine 996cc MOT class 2

For sale now 1 Ducati 996 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 90.9% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and too low, 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 (5.7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 16,847 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	93.87%		473

Why the Ducati 996 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	90.9%	10
2	Does not conform to the specified requirements	45.5%	5
3	Too low	27.3%	3
4	Has excessive wear or free play	18.2%	2
5	Has insufficient reserve travel	18.2%	2
6	Missing	18.2%	2
7	Too high	18.2%	2
8	Control functioning such that safe operation of the motorcycle is adversely affected	9.1%	1
9	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	9.1%	1
10	Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s)	9.1%	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	5.7%	27
2	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	1.9%	9
3	Has a serious fluid leak	1.7%	8
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	1.5%	7
5	Excessively loose	0.8%	4
6	Has excessive play	0.8%	4
7	Less than 1.0 mm thick	0.8%	4
8	Excessively binding	0.6%	3
9	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	0.6%	3
10	Worn to excess	0.6%	3

Ducati 996 for sale

1 Ducati 996 adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 49 Ducati in total.

Used Ducati 996 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 R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373

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

Ducati 996 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Ducati 996?+

93.88% of Ducati 996 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 474 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Ducati 996?+

Not working, which appears in 90.9% 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.