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PLY 453W

1981 BMW R Series

White Petrol 980cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 May 2027
Tests21 (17 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81%

Mileage

86,706 mi
Last recorded86,706 miles
Recorded on26 May 2026
Typical for 1981 BMW R Series43,710 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationPLY 453W
MakeBMW
ModelR Series
Year1981
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine980cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

17 pass 4 fail
Pass 26 May 2026 86,706 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2025 86,617 miles
Pass 13 May 2024 86,572 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2023 86,317 miles
Pass 16 Feb 2022 86,032 miles
Pass 31 Aug 2021 85,597 miles
Fail 26 Aug 2021 85,597 miles

Rear Stop lamp not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 24 Aug 2020 83,707 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2019 83,705 miles

Indicator tell tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Fail 25 Sep 2019 83,684 miles

Motorcycle structure joining/attachment plate or fastening insecure Front fairing mounting loose. (6.1.1 (b) (i))

Indicator tell tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Rear Position lamp insecure Rear lamp lens loose. (4.2.1 (c) (i))

Slight binding of front brake.

Pass 16 Jul 2015 83,567 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2013 83,284 miles
Fail 21 Sep 2012 82,983 miles

Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.6)

Pass 21 Sep 2012 82,983 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2011 82,615 miles

Front Brake disc(s) slightly worn (3.2.A1l)

Pass 11 Oct 2010 82,324 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2009 81,440 miles

Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (3.2.A1f(i))

Pass 22 Sep 2008 80,748 miles

Offside Rear Exhaust slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 3 Oct 2007 79,521 miles

Nearside Rear Exhaust mounting deteriorated. (7.1.1.c)

Pass 13 Oct 2006 78,028 miles
Fail 11 Oct 2006 77,988 miles

Exhaust is leaking and excessively noisey (7.1.1b)

How Reliable is the BMW R Series?

Based on 261,180 MOT tests across 25,486 vehicles.

91.2%
Pass Rate
1,463
Miles/Year
49
Year Lifespan
25,486
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 1,440
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 1,086
Stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies 603
Roller brake test indicates a binding brake 553
Roller brake test indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 532
Full BMW R Series reliability report

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PLY 453W is a 1981 BMW R Series in White with a 980cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81%.

Across all 1981 BMW R Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 87.1% with a typical mileage of 43,710 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a BMW R Series fails its MOT is tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, accounting for 1,440 recorded failures. If you're considering buying PLY 453W, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW R Series typically stays on UK roads for around 49 years. At 45 years old, this BMW R Series is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of PLY 453W?

You can check the full history of PLY 453W by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was PLY 453W registered?

PLY 453W is a 1981 BMW R Series, first registered on 6 January 1981.

Is PLY 453W safe to buy?

The MOT history for PLY 453W shows 21 tests with a 81% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does PLY 453W have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on PLY 453W. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.