KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 MOT pass rate and common failures

KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 motorcycles pass the MOT 90.37% of the time, measured across 353 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.68% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 3.5 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 90.37% 319 of 353

Fixed at the station 3.68% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 12,253 miles

Average age at test 6.75 years old

Engine 1,301cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 38.1% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and not working, 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 (22.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 12,253 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	90.53%		338

Why the KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 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	38.1%	8
2	Does not conform to the specified requirements	23.8%	5
3	Not working	19%	4
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	19%	4
5	Has insufficient reserve travel	9.5%	2
6	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	9.5%	2
7	Missing in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	9.5%	2
8	Adversely affected by the operation of another lamp	4.8%	1
9	Effort inadequate at a wheel	4.8%	1
10	Excessively binding	4.8%	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	22.9%	81
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	6.5%	23
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.1%	11
4	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.8%	10
5	Tread not clearly visible	2%	7
6	Worn to excess	1.4%	5
7	Excessively loose	1.1%	4
8	Excessively binding	0.6%	2
9	Sprocket worn to excess	0.6%	2
10	Excessively distorted	0.3%	1

KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 for sale

No KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 in stock at the moment - 297 other KTM bikes are advertised.

Used KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 Used KTM All KTM KTM 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 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

KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18?+

90.37% of KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 353 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R 18?+

Missing, which appears in 38.1% 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.