Royal Enfield BULLET 500 MOT pass rate and common failures
Royal Enfield BULLET 500 motorcycles pass the MOT 89.61% of the time, measured across 799 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.63% 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 67.4% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and excessively binding, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (3.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 10,682 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-15 years | 86.96% | 46 | |
| 16+ years | 89.75% | 751 |
Why the Royal Enfield BULLET 500 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 | 67.4% | 31 | |
| 2 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 26.1% | 12 | |
| 3 | Excessively binding | 15.2% | 7 | |
| 4 | Insecure | 15.2% | 7 | |
| 5 | Not working on main beam | 13% | 6 | |
| 6 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 10.9% | 5 | |
| 7 | Missing | 10.9% | 5 | |
| 8 | Has a tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure | 8.7% | 4 | |
| 9 | Not working on dipped beam | 8.7% | 4 | |
| 10 | Excessively loose | 6.5% | 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 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 3.4% | 27 | |
| 2 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 2.3% | 18 | |
| 3 | Excessively loose | 2.1% | 17 | |
| 4 | Worn to excess | 1.6% | 13 | |
| 5 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 1.4% | 11 | |
| 6 | Excessively binding | 1.3% | 10 | |
| 7 | Has excessive play | 1% | 8 | |
| 8 | Excessively distorted | 0.6% | 5 | |
| 9 | Has a major leak of exhaust gases | 0.6% | 5 | |
| 10 | Incorrect which adversely affects the handling | 0.6% | 5 |
Royal Enfield BULLET 500 for sale
No Royal Enfield BULLET 500 in stock at the moment - 623 other Royal Enfield bikes are advertised.
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 | |
| Suzuki GSF600 · 600cc | 4,890 | 80% | 29,308 | |
| Honda CBR600F · 599cc | 4,710 | 85.56% | 30,651 | |
| Kawasaki ZX-6R · 599-636cc | 4,510 | 81.62% | 26,019 | |
| Suzuki SV650 · 646cc | 3,834 | 80.99% | 27,644 | |
| Suzuki GSXR600 · 599cc | 3,831 | 81.83% | 25,077 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method