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Triumph Bonneville 750 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Triumph Bonneville 750 car check

Is the Triumph Bonneville 750 reliable? We analysed 686 real MOT tests across 104 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 686 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
86.0%
Typical Mileage
17,096mi
Annual Mileage
197mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
51yrs

The Triumph Bonneville 750 is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil, roller brake test the less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25%. and stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Triumph Bonneville 750.

Triumph Bonneville 750 Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Triumph Bonneville 750. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Triumph Bonneville 750 MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Triumph Bonneville 750 to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

90%
1981
78.9%
1980
85.5%
1979
84%
1978
84.2%
1977
75.9%
1976
95.2%
1975

Triumph Bonneville 750 Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Triumph Bonneville 750 fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil 7
Roller brake test The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25%. 4
Stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies 3
Direction indicators flashing less than 60 times a minute 3
Stop lamp remains on when the brake is released 3
wheel bearings are excessively rough 3
Roller brake test No brake control achieves an efficiency of 30%. 2
Headlamp aim too low 2
Direction indicators not working 2
position lamp does not illuminate immediately when it is switched on 2

Triumph Bonneville 750 Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Triumph Bonneville 750 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
55 mi/yr
Typical
197 mi/yr
Average
760 mi/yr
Heavy usage
568 mi/yr

Triumph Bonneville 750 MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Triumph Bonneville 750 year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
1981 50 90.0% 10,158 36,926 44,786
1980 95 78.9% 12,907 20,133 22,240
1979 76 85.5% 9,639 19,040 26,348
1978 100 84.0% 5,952 14,432 18,626
1977 101 84.2% 6,577 10,098 29,407
1976 54 75.9% 2,968 7,096 17,146
1975 62 95.2% 11,281 22,230 48,512

How Long Does a Triumph Bonneville 750 Last?

Based on 104 Triumph Bonneville 750 vehicles on UK roads.

Average
34.9 years
Median
38.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
51 years

Triumph Bonneville 750 Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Triumph Bonneville 750 MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
17,096 mi
75th Percentile
27,933 mi
95th Percentile
50,288 mi
Max Recorded
265,558 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Triumph Bonneville 750

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

Best year
1975

95.2% MOT pass rate from 62 tests

Year to avoid
1976

75.9% MOT pass rate from 54 tests

The best year to buy a used Triumph Bonneville 750 is 1975, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 95.2% across 62 tests. The 1976 model year has the lowest pass rate at 75.9% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Triumph Bonneville 750 Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Triumph Bonneville 750 THIS CAR 86.0% 686 17,096 mi 51 yrs
Triumph Bonneville 90.1% 235,206 7,823 mi 53 yrs
Triumph Tiger 90.6% 196,853 17,026 mi 32 yrs
Triumph Sprint 87.3% 158,613 21,242 mi 33 yrs
Keeway Superlight 125 E4 74.6% 331 8,719 mi — yrs

Compared to the Triumph Bonneville (90.1% pass rate) and the Triumph Tiger (90.6% pass rate), the Triumph Bonneville 750 trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Triumph Bonneville 750?

The Triumph Bonneville 750 has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.0% across 686 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Triumph Bonneville 750 are shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil (7 recorded failures), roller brake test the less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25%. (4), and stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies (3). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Triumph Bonneville 750 owner drives around 197 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.

In terms of longevity, most Triumph Bonneville 750 models stay on UK roads for around 51 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

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.

Triumph Bonneville 750 — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Triumph Bonneville 750 reliable?
Based on 686 MOT tests, the Triumph Bonneville 750 has a 86.0% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Triumph Bonneville 750?
The most common MOT failures are shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil, roller brake test the less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25%., and stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Triumph Bonneville 750 do per year?
The typical Triumph Bonneville 750 does around 197 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Triumph Bonneville 750 last?
Most Triumph Bonneville 750 models stay on UK roads for around 51 years based on our analysis of 104 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Triumph Bonneville 750?
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 Triumph Bonneville 750?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Triumph Bonneville 750 is 1975 with a 95.2% pass rate across 62 tests.