Triumph THUNDERBIRD 855-995cc MOT pass rate and common failures
Triumph THUNDERBIRD 855-995cc motorcycles pass the MOT 88.8% of the time, measured across 1,446 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.33% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
Calculated from DVSA records for Triumph THUNDERBIRD, 855-995cc.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with not working - it accounts for 51.8% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check too low and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (3.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 21,425 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16+ years | 88.9% | 1,442 |
Why the Triumph THUNDERBIRD 855-995cc 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 | 51.8% | 44 | |
| 2 | Too low | 21.2% | 18 | |
| 3 | Has a serious fluid leak | 17.6% | 15 | |
| 4 | Too high | 17.6% | 15 | |
| 5 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 16.5% | 14 | |
| 6 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 9.4% | 8 | |
| 7 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 8.2% | 7 | |
| 8 | Excessively binding | 8.2% | 7 | |
| 9 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 7.1% | 6 | |
| 10 | Has negligible damping effect | 7.1% | 6 |
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 | 3.9% | 56 | |
| 2 | Has a serious fluid leak | 3.4% | 49 | |
| 3 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 2.8% | 40 | |
| 4 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.4% | 35 | |
| 5 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.1% | 31 | |
| 6 | Excessively loose | 1.8% | 26 | |
| 7 | Excessively binding | 1.4% | 20 | |
| 8 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.2% | 18 | |
| 9 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 1.2% | 17 | |
| 10 | Significantly and obviously worn | 1.2% | 17 |
Triumph THUNDERBIRD 855-995cc for sale
No Triumph THUNDERBIRD 855-995cc 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 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