Triumph TIGER EXPLORER 1215 MOT pass rate and common failures
Triumph TIGER EXPLORER 1215 motorcycles pass the MOT 87.86% of the time, measured across 346 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.6% 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 less than 1.0 mm thick - it accounts for 27.3% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check has a serious fluid leak and has negligible damping effect, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (7.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 34,976 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 | 87.86% | 346 |
Why the Triumph TIGER EXPLORER 1215 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 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 27.3% | 9 | |
| 2 | Has a serious fluid leak | 24.2% | 8 | |
| 3 | Has negligible damping effect | 21.2% | 7 | |
| 4 | Not working | 18.2% | 6 | |
| 5 | Excessively binding | 15.2% | 5 | |
| 6 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 12.1% | 4 | |
| 7 | Not working on dipped beam | 12.1% | 4 | |
| 8 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 12.1% | 4 | |
| 9 | Has excessive play | 9.1% | 3 | |
| 10 | Control functioning such that safe operation of the motorcycle is adversely affected | 6.1% | 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 | 7.8% | 27 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 7.2% | 25 | |
| 3 | Excessively binding | 5.2% | 18 | |
| 4 | Has excessive play | 4% | 14 | |
| 5 | Has negligible damping effect | 3.2% | 11 | |
| 6 | Has a serious fluid leak | 2.9% | 10 | |
| 7 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.9% | 10 | |
| 8 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 2.6% | 9 | |
| 9 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 2.3% | 8 | |
| 10 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 1.7% | 6 |
Triumph TIGER EXPLORER 1215 for sale
No Triumph TIGER EXPLORER 1215 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