Triumph BONNEVILLE 1200cc MOT pass rate and common failures
Triumph BONNEVILLE 1200cc motorcycles pass the MOT 91.62% of the time, measured across 5,527 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.63% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
Calculated from DVSA records for Triumph BONNEVILLE, 1196-1200cc.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with missing - it accounts for 49.8% 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 (5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 8,342 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 91.65% | 1,426 | |
| 6-10 years | 91.61% | 4,101 |
Why the Triumph BONNEVILLE 1200cc 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 | 49.8% | 103 | |
| 2 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 35.7% | 74 | |
| 3 | Not working | 31.4% | 65 | |
| 4 | Not working on dipped beam | 22.7% | 47 | |
| 5 | Too high | 22.2% | 46 | |
| 6 | Too low | 20.3% | 42 | |
| 7 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 17.4% | 36 | |
| 8 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 12.6% | 26 | |
| 9 | Flashing more than 120 times a minute | 7.7% | 16 | |
| 10 | Obviously incorrectly positioned | 7.7% | 16 |
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 | 5% | 276 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 4.4% | 241 | |
| 3 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.9% | 160 | |
| 4 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 1.3% | 72 | |
| 5 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 1.2% | 68 | |
| 6 | Excessively loose | 1.2% | 64 | |
| 7 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.1% | 63 | |
| 8 | Is so short that the brake cannot be readily applied | 0.4% | 20 | |
| 9 | Worn to excess | 0.3% | 16 | |
| 10 | Excessively tight | 0.3% | 14 |
Triumph BONNEVILLE 1200cc for sale
No Triumph BONNEVILLE 1200cc in stock at the moment - 108 other Triumph bikes are advertised.
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 | |
| Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc | 12,456 | 90.8% | 12,824 | |
| 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 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method