Triumph TIGER MOT pass rate and common failures

Triumph TIGER motorcycles pass the MOT 91.27% of the time, measured across 16,144 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 4.4 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 91.27% 14,734 of 16,144
Fixed at the station 3% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 22,934 miles
Average age at test 10.61 years old
Engine 969cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 2 Triumph TIGER 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 28% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check less than 1.0 mm thick and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 93.86% of 3-5 year old examples pass, against 85.01% at 16+ years - a gap of 8.8 points.
  • The most common advisory is less than 1.0 mm thick (5.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 22,934 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 93.86% 1,580
6-10 years 92.78% 8,812
11-15 years 89.85% 3,831
16+ years 85.01% 1,921

Why the Triumph TIGER 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 28% 259
2 Less than 1.0 mm thick 18.6% 172
3 Has a serious fluid leak 17% 157
4 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 13.1% 121
5 Excessively binding 9.8% 91
6 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 9.7% 90
7 Too low 9.3% 86
8 Missing 6.4% 59
9 Insecure 5.9% 55
10 Too high 5.7% 53

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 Less than 1.0 mm thick 5.5% 891
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 5% 808
3 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 3.5% 573
4 Excessively stiff or notchy 2.4% 383
5 Excessively binding 1.8% 295
6 Excessively loose 1.8% 292
7 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 1.5% 248
8 Has excessive play 1.5% 241
9 In such a condition that it is seriously weakened 1.4% 227
10 Worn to excess 1.2% 198

Triumph TIGER for sale

2 Triumph TIGER adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 107 Triumph in total.

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model Tests Pass rate   Avg mileage
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
BMW R 1200 · 1,170cc 6,170 95.28% 27,241

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Triumph TIGER MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Triumph TIGER?+
91.27% of Triumph TIGER MOT tests end in a pass, based on 16,144 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Triumph TIGER?+
Not working, which appears in 28% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Triumph TIGER get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 85.01%, against 93.86% for examples 3-5 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.
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