Benelli 491
Real ownership data from 342 UK 491 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common 491 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | fail | 13.9% |
| Brakes | fail | 9.5% |
| Other | fail | 7% |
| Tyres | fail | 6.7% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 6.1% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 4.8% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 4% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 3.6% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
491 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 7 | 3,144 mi | 358 | 90.2% |
| 2008 | 10 | 4,130 mi | 1,014 | 81.08% |
| 2004 | 9 | 5,741 mi | 186 | 64.86% |
| 2003 | 66 | 5,798 mi | 1,520 | 65.5% |
| 2002 | 48 | 8,684 mi | 1,751 | 68.55% |
| 2001 | 94 | 7,765 mi | 1,509 | 70.42% |
| 2000 | 71 | 10,143 mi | 1,020 | 70.21% |
| 1999 | 19 | 9,340 mi | 434 | 82.76% |
| 1998 | 6 | 9,743 mi | 3,898 | 72.73% |
491 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Benelli 491?
Across 342 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are suspension (13.9% of all recorded faults), brakes (9.5% of all recorded faults), other (7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Benelli 491?
The median Benelli 491 in the UK has covered 8,326 miles, and typically rides about 1,244 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 4,050 and 13,034 miles.
Is the Benelli 491 reliable?
71.7% of Benelli 491 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.94 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 342 Benelli 491 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.