KTM RC MOT pass rate and common failures

KTM RC motorcycles pass the MOT 70.75% of the time, measured across 359 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.57% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 16.1 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 70.75% 254 of 359

Fixed at the station 5.57% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 14,313 miles

Average age at test 9.46 years old

Engine 231cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 KTM RC adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 32.9% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working and has a serious fluid leak, 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 (11.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 14,313 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	70.74%		352

Why the KTM RC 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	32.9%	28
2	Not working	31.8%	27
3	Has a serious fluid leak	23.5%	20
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	16.5%	14
5	Excessively loose	12.9%	11
6	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	12.9%	11
7	Insecure	12.9%	11
8	Too high	11.8%	10
9	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	9.4%	8
10	Excessively binding	8.2%	7

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	11.4%	41
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	10.9%	39
3	Has a serious fluid leak	8.9%	32
4	Excessively loose	8.4%	30
5	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	7.8%	28
6	Excessively binding	5%	18
7	Worn to excess	4.7%	17
8	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.9%	14
9	Tread not clearly visible	3.3%	12
10	Has negligible damping effect	3.1%	11

KTM RC for sale

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

Used KTM RC 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
Piaggio VESPA GTS · 240-300cc	4,305	92.15%	9,875
Honda CRF 220-250cc · 220-250cc	2,452	89.76%	7,549
Honda NSS 250-297cc · 250-297cc	1,397	90.34%	17,407
Honda CRF 300 LA-M · 286cc	1,297	88.43%	3,963
Piaggio VESPA GTS 300 SUPER · 277cc	914	93.76%	12,292
Piaggio PX 200 E · 193cc	897	90.64%	14,883

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

KTM RC MOT questions

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

70.75% of KTM RC MOT tests end in a pass, based on 359 tests in the DVSA dataset.

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

Missing, which appears in 32.9% 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.