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BMW R 1250 RS SE Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free BMW R 1250 RS SE car check

Is the BMW R 1250 RS SE reliable? We analysed 1,038 real MOT tests across 616 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,038 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
96.9%
Typical Mileage
9,460mi
Annual Mileage
2,313mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The BMW R 1250 RS SE is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used BMW R 1250 RS SE.

BMW R 1250 RS SE Number Plates

Number plates registered to a BMW R 1250 RS SE. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

BMW R 1250 RS SE MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a BMW R 1250 RS SE to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

95.5%
2023
96.7%
2022
97.3%
2021

BMW R 1250 RS SE Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on BMW R 1250 RS SE models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 5
Brake pad(s) less than 1.0 mm thick 1

BMW R 1250 RS SE Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical BMW R 1250 RS SE owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
1,104 mi/yr
Typical
2,313 mi/yr
Average
2,761 mi/yr
Heavy usage
3,826 mi/yr

BMW R 1250 RS SE MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the BMW R 1250 RS SE year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2023 133 95.5% 5,814 8,691 11,160
2022 307 96.7% 5,488 9,013 12,066
2021 523 97.3% 6,156 10,369 15,308

How Long Does a BMW R 1250 RS SE Last?

Based on 616 BMW R 1250 RS SE vehicles on UK roads.

Average
2.9 years
Median
3.0 years

BMW R 1250 RS SE Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all BMW R 1250 RS SE MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
9,460 mi
75th Percentile
13,830 mi
95th Percentile
24,337 mi
Max Recorded
57,170 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used BMW R 1250 RS SE

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2021

97.3% MOT pass rate from 523 tests

Year to avoid
2023

95.5% MOT pass rate from 133 tests

The best year to buy a used BMW R 1250 RS SE is 2021, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 97.3% across 523 tests. The 2023 model year has the lowest pass rate at 95.5% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the BMW R 1250 RS SE Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
BMW R 1250 RS SE THIS CAR 96.9% 1,038 9,460 mi — yrs
BMW 3 Series 75.1% 12,840,406 90,743 mi 37 yrs
BMW 118 81.5% 1,923,256 64,042 mi 22 yrs
BMW X5 77% 1,735,343 83,401 mi 25 yrs
Cpi Aragon 74.2% 520 5,256 mi 19 yrs

Compared to the BMW 3 Series (75.1% pass rate) and the BMW 118 (81.5% pass rate), the BMW R 1250 RS SE outperforms both on MOT reliability.

Found a BMW R 1250 RS SE you like?

Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.

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Should you buy a used BMW R 1250 RS SE?

The BMW R 1250 RS SE has an overall MOT pass rate of 96.9% across 1,038 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a BMW R 1250 RS SE with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical BMW R 1250 RS SE owner drives around 2,313 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

BMW R 1250 RS SE — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the BMW R 1250 RS SE reliable?
Based on 1,038 MOT tests, the BMW R 1250 RS SE has a 96.9% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a BMW R 1250 RS SE?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a BMW R 1250 RS SE do per year?
The typical BMW R 1250 RS SE does around 2,313 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a BMW R 1250 RS SE last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a BMW R 1250 RS SE?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a BMW R 1250 RS SE?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used BMW R 1250 RS SE is 2021 with a 97.3% pass rate across 523 tests.