Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 MOT pass rate and common failures

Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 motorcycles pass the MOT 90.93% of the time, measured across 364 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.57% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 4.1 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 90.93% 331 of 364

Fixed at the station 3.57% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 16,271 miles

Average age at test 14.6 years old

Engine 865cc MOT class 2

For sale now 1 Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 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 45% of failed tests on this model.
Then check excessively binding and less than 1.0 mm thick, 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 (6.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 16,271 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	91.29%		310
16+ years	88.89%		54

Why the Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 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	45%	9
2	Excessively binding	25%	5
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	20%	4
4	Rough when rotated	15%	3
5	Too high	15%	3
6	Excessively loose	10%	2
7	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	10%	2
8	Has excessive play	10%	2
9	Insecure	10%	2
10	Projected beam image obviously incorrect	10%	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	6.9%	25
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	5.2%	19
3	Excessively loose	2.7%	10
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	2.7%	10
5	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.5%	9
6	Excessively binding	1.1%	4
7	Excessively corroded	1.1%	4
8	Excessively stiff or notchy	1.1%	4
9	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	1.1%	4
10	Tread not clearly visible	1.1%	4

Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 for sale

1 Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 108 Triumph in total.

Used Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 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 AMERICA 865 MOT questions

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

90.93% of Triumph BONNEVILLE AMERICA 865 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 364 tests in the DVSA dataset.

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

Not working, which appears in 45% of failed tests on this model.

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

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 88.89%, against 91.29% 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.