Triumph ROCKET 111 MOT pass rate and common failures

Triumph ROCKET 111 motorcycles pass the MOT 89% of the time, measured across 300 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.67% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.1 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 89% 267 of 300

Fixed at the station 4.67% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 23,774 miles

Average age at test 18.88 years old

Engine 2,292cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Triumph ROCKET 111 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 52.6% of failed tests on this model.
Then check has a serious fluid leak and tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, 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 (8.7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 23,774 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	85.29%		34
16+ years	89.47%		266

Why the Triumph ROCKET 111 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	52.6%	10
2	Has a serious fluid leak	26.3%	5
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	21.1%	4
4	Does not conform to the specified requirements	10.5%	2
5	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	10.5%	2
6	Excessively binding	10.5%	2
7	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	10.5%	2
8	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	10.5%	2
9	Less than 1.0 mm thick	10.5%	2
10	Missing	10.5%	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	8.7%	26
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	8%	24
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	6%	18
4	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.3%	7
5	Has a serious fluid leak	1.3%	4
6	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	1.3%	4
7	Tread not clearly visible	1%	3
8	Excessively binding	0.7%	2
9	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	0.7%	2
10	Significantly and obviously worn	0.7%	2

Triumph ROCKET 111 for sale

No Triumph ROCKET 111 in stock at the moment - 107 other Triumph bikes are advertised.

Used Triumph ROCKET 111 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 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

Triumph ROCKET 111 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Triumph ROCKET 111?+

89% of Triumph ROCKET 111 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 300 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Triumph ROCKET 111?+

Not working, which appears in 52.6% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Triumph ROCKET 111 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 89.47%, against 85.29% 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.