Triumph BONNEVILLE SPEEDMASTER MOT pass rate and common failures
Triumph BONNEVILLE SPEEDMASTER motorcycles pass the MOT 92.63% of the time, measured across 475 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.42% 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 too high - it accounts for 100% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check missing and does not conform to the specified requirements, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (4.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 5,204 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 | 92.57% | 471 |
Why the Triumph BONNEVILLE SPEEDMASTER 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 | Too high | 100% | 16 | |
| 2 | Missing | 50% | 7 | |
| 3 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 21.4% | 3 | |
| 4 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 21.4% | 3 | |
| 5 | Insecure | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 6 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 7 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 7.1% | 1 | |
| 8 | Fouling on the fuel tank or bodywork on full lock | 7.1% | 1 | |
| 9 | Incorrect | 7.1% | 1 | |
| 10 | Incorrect which adversely affects the handling | 7.1% | 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 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 4.2% | 20 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.9% | 14 | |
| 3 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.1% | 10 | |
| 4 | Excessively loose | 1.9% | 9 | |
| 5 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 1.9% | 9 | |
| 6 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.3% | 6 | |
| 7 | Incorrect which adversely affects the handling | 0.6% | 3 | |
| 8 | Excessively tight | 0.4% | 2 | |
| 9 | Has a major leak of exhaust gases | 0.4% | 2 | |
| 10 | Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied | 0.4% | 2 |
Triumph BONNEVILLE SPEEDMASTER for sale
No Triumph BONNEVILLE SPEEDMASTER 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