Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 MOT pass rate and common failures

Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 motorcycles pass the MOT 89.27% of the time, measured across 410 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.15% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.4 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 89.27% 366 of 410

Fixed at the station 4.15% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 17,340 miles

Average age at test 14.42 years old

Engine 865cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 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 55.6% of failed tests on this model.
Then check excessively binding and missing, 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 (4.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 17,340 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	88.83%		367
16+ years	93.02%		43

Why the Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 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	55.6%	15
2	Excessively binding	22.2%	6
3	Missing	22.2%	6
4	Too high	22.2%	6
5	Too low	11.1%	3
6	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	11.1%	3
7	Does not conform to the specified requirements	7.4%	2
8	Excessively loose	7.4%	2
9	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	7.4%	2
10	Insecure	7.4%	2

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	4.9%	20
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.9%	20
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.9%	16
4	Excessively binding	2%	8
5	Excessively loose	1.5%	6
6	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	1.5%	6
7	Tread not clearly visible	1.5%	6
8	Significantly and obviously worn	1.2%	5
9	Has excessive play	0.7%	3
10	Has negligible damping effect	0.7%	3

Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 for sale

No Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 in stock at the moment - 108 other Triumph bikes are advertised.

Used Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 Used Triumph All Triumph Triumph MOT statistics

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 S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
Yamaha YZF R1 · 998cc	6,022	88.01%	23,152
Yamaha MT 800-1000cc · 800-1000cc	5,720	90.98%	16,130
Honda NC · 741cc	5,311	89.53%	22,765

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

Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Triumph BONNEVILLE 865?+

89.27% of Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 410 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Triumph BONNEVILLE 865?+

Not working, which appears in 55.6% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Triumph BONNEVILLE 865 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 93.02%, against 88.83% for examples 11-15 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.