Royal Enfield BULLET MOT pass rate and common failures
Royal Enfield BULLET motorcycles pass the MOT 86.18% of the time, measured across 217 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.45% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with not working - it accounts for 81.3% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls and fouling on the fuel tank or bodywork on full lock, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort (3.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 8,796 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 | 86.36% | 66 | |
| 11-15 years | 86.84% | 38 | |
| 16+ years | 86.11% | 108 |
Why the Royal Enfield BULLET 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 | 81.3% | 13 | |
| 2 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 3 | Fouling on the fuel tank or bodywork on full lock | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 4 | Spindle locking device missing | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 5 | Too high | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 6 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 7 | Component has excessive wear or free play | 6.3% | 1 | |
| 8 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 6.3% | 1 | |
| 9 | Excessively binding | 6.3% | 1 | |
| 10 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 6.3% | 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 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 3.2% | 7 | |
| 2 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 3.2% | 7 | |
| 3 | Excessively binding | 2.3% | 5 | |
| 4 | Incorrect which adversely affects the handling | 2.3% | 5 | |
| 5 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 2.3% | 5 | |
| 6 | Excessively loose | 1.8% | 4 | |
| 7 | Spoke excessively loose | 1.8% | 4 | |
| 8 | Has excessive wear or free play | 1.4% | 3 | |
| 9 | Worn to excess | 1.4% | 3 | |
| 10 | Has excessive play | 0.9% | 2 |
Royal Enfield BULLET for sale
23 Royal Enfield BULLET adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 623 Royal Enfield in total.
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