Triumph BONNEVILLE T120 BLACK MOT pass rate and common failures
Triumph BONNEVILLE T120 BLACK motorcycles pass the MOT 88.64% of the time, measured across 273 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.69% 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 low - it accounts for 80% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check missing and too high, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 5,695 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 | 88.56% | 271 |
Why the Triumph BONNEVILLE T120 BLACK 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 low | 80% | 8 | |
| 2 | Missing | 70% | 7 | |
| 3 | Too high | 50% | 5 | |
| 4 | Not working on dipped beam | 40% | 4 | |
| 5 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 20% | 2 | |
| 6 | Not working | 20% | 2 | |
| 7 | Spoke excessively loose | 20% | 2 | |
| 8 | Excessively loose | 10% | 1 | |
| 9 | Fouling on the fuel tank or bodywork on full lock | 10% | 1 | |
| 10 | Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | 10% | 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 | 6.2% | 17 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.6% | 7 | |
| 3 | Excessively loose | 1.8% | 5 | |
| 4 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 1.5% | 4 | |
| 5 | Worn to excess | 1.5% | 4 | |
| 6 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 1.1% | 3 | |
| 7 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.1% | 3 | |
| 8 | Bent so it cannot be readily operated | 0.7% | 2 | |
| 9 | Excessively binding | 0.7% | 2 | |
| 10 | Excessively distorted | 0.4% | 1 |
Triumph BONNEVILLE T120 BLACK for sale
No Triumph BONNEVILLE T120 BLACK 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