Triumph ROCKET MOT pass rate and common failures
Triumph ROCKET motorcycles pass the MOT 91.52% of the time, measured across 401 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.49% 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 not working - it accounts for 45% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 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 (7.7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 16,010 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-10 years | 90.97% | 288 | |
| 11-15 years | 97.53% | 81 |
Why the Triumph ROCKET 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 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 30% | 6 | |
| 3 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 20% | 4 | |
| 4 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 15% | 3 | |
| 5 | Has insufficient reserve travel | 15% | 3 | |
| 6 | Too low | 15% | 3 | |
| 7 | Incorrect | 10% | 2 | |
| 8 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 10% | 2 | |
| 9 | Missing | 10% | 2 | |
| 10 | Too high | 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 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 7.7% | 31 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 6.5% | 26 | |
| 3 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 6.5% | 26 | |
| 4 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 3% | 12 | |
| 5 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.2% | 5 | |
| 6 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 1% | 4 | |
| 7 | Excessively binding | 0.7% | 3 | |
| 8 | Coolant leak | 0.2% | 1 | |
| 9 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 0.2% | 1 | |
| 10 | Excessively weakened by corrosion | 0.2% | 1 |
Triumph ROCKET for sale
No Triumph ROCKET in stock at the moment - 107 other Triumph bikes are advertised.
Similar bikes compared
Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.
| Model | Tests | Pass rate | Avg mileage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triumph THUNDERBIRD 1600 · 1500-1800cc | 1,767 | 89.3% | 16,841 | |
| BMW K 1600 · 1,649cc | 1,484 | 95.62% | 19,181 | |
| Triumph ROCKET III · 2,297cc | 861 | 88.62% | 21,945 | |
| Harley-Davidson FXSB · 1,692cc | 859 | 88.71% | 11,767 | |
| Triumph ROCKET 3 GT · 2,458cc | 570 | 93.68% | 7,759 | |
| Harley-Davidson FXDB · 1,638cc | 544 | 88.05% | 17,081 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method