KTM 450 MOT pass rate and common failures

KTM 450 motorcycles pass the MOT 81.14% of the time, measured across 281 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.47% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 5.7 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 81.14% 228 of 281

Fixed at the station 7.47% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 4,440 miles

Average age at test 11.42 years old

Engine 449cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 KTM 450 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 43.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check missing and has excessive play, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has excessive play (6.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 4,440 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	81.25%	144
11-15 years	81.82%	88
16+ years	79.41%	34

Why the KTM 450 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	43.8%	14
2	Missing	37.5%	12
3	Has excessive play	21.9%	7
4	Does not conform to the specified requirements	18.8%	6
5	Play so excessive it is likely to break up	12.5%	4
6	Too high	12.5%	4
7	Incorrect	9.4%	3
8	Missing in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	9.4%	3
9	Not working on dipped beam	9.4%	3
10	Not working on main beam	9.4%	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	Has excessive play	6.4%	18
2	Has a serious fluid leak	6%	17
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.2%	9
4	Worn to excess	3.2%	9
5	Excessively distorted	2.8%	8
6	Chain guard missing	1.8%	5
7	Excessively loose	1.4%	4
8	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	1.4%	4
9	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	1.4%	4
10	Inscription illegible	1.1%	3

KTM 450 for sale

No KTM 450 in stock at the moment - 296 other KTM bikes are advertised.

Used KTM 450 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
Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc	5,400	89.76%	19,444
Honda CBR 471-650cc · 471-650cc	3,603	86.48%	17,329
Royal Enfield HIMALAYAN · 411cc	2,371	88.49%	8,163
Royal Enfield METEOR 350 · 349cc	2,133	93.95%	4,543
Honda CB500 · 497cc	1,300	84.08%	34,941
Yamaha XV535 · 535cc	1,279	84.28%	20,034

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

KTM 450 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the KTM 450?+

81.14% of KTM 450 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 281 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a KTM 450?+

Not working, which appears in 43.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the KTM 450 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 79.41%, against 81.25% for examples 6-10 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.