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Triumph Bonneville Bobber Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Triumph Bonneville Bobber car check

Is the Triumph Bonneville Bobber reliable? We analysed 1,154 real MOT tests across 608 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,154 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
90.6%
Typical Mileage
3,449mi
Annual Mileage
585mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
10yrs

The Triumph Bonneville Bobber is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Triumph Bonneville Bobber.

Triumph Bonneville Bobber Number Plates

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

Triumph Bonneville Bobber MOT Pass Rate by Year

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

88.1%
2022
91.4%
2021
94.4%
2017
87.3%
2016

Triumph Bonneville Bobber Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Triumph Bonneville Bobber models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 6
Brake pad(s) less than 1.0 mm thick 6

Triumph Bonneville Bobber Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
265 mi/yr
Typical
585 mi/yr
Average
928 mi/yr
Heavy usage
1,201 mi/yr

Triumph Bonneville Bobber MOT Data by Registration Year

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

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2022 403 88.1% 1,720 2,833 4,872
2021 428 91.4% 1,954 3,496 5,558
2017 125 94.4% 2,471 3,782 5,016
2016 71 87.3% 3,799 6,857 9,112

How Long Does a Triumph Bonneville Bobber Last?

Based on 608 Triumph Bonneville Bobber vehicles on UK roads.

Average
3.2 years
Median
3.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
10 years

Triumph Bonneville Bobber Mileage Distribution

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

Median
3,449 mi
75th Percentile
5,590 mi
95th Percentile
11,640 mi
Max Recorded
32,917 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Triumph Bonneville Bobber

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

Best year
2017

94.4% MOT pass rate from 125 tests

Year to avoid
2016

87.3% MOT pass rate from 71 tests

The best year to buy a used Triumph Bonneville Bobber is 2017, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 94.4% across 125 tests. The 2016 model year has the lowest pass rate at 87.3% — 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 Bobber Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Triumph Bonneville Bobber THIS CAR 90.6% 1,154 3,449 mi 10 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
Ajs Dd 125 E-5 75.8% 1,192 4,491 mi 19 yrs

Compared to the Triumph Bonneville (90.1% pass rate) and the Triumph Tiger (90.6% pass rate), the Triumph Bonneville Bobber sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Triumph Bonneville Bobber?

The Triumph Bonneville Bobber has an overall MOT pass rate of 90.6% across 1,154 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 Triumph Bonneville Bobber with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical Triumph Bonneville Bobber owner drives around 585 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 Bobber models stay on UK roads for around 10 years. If you're buying one that's already well within 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 Bobber — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Triumph Bonneville Bobber reliable?
Based on 1,154 MOT tests, the Triumph Bonneville Bobber has a 90.6% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Triumph Bonneville Bobber?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Triumph Bonneville Bobber do per year?
The typical Triumph Bonneville Bobber does around 585 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Triumph Bonneville Bobber last?
Most Triumph Bonneville Bobber models stay on UK roads for around 10 years based on our analysis of 608 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Triumph Bonneville Bobber?
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 Bobber?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Triumph Bonneville Bobber is 2017 with a 94.4% pass rate across 125 tests.