BSA Rocket
Real ownership data from 752 UK Rocket motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Rocket problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | fail | 10.1% |
| Brakes | fail | 7.5% |
| Other | fail | 4.1% |
| Tyres | fail | 3.7% |
| Suspension | fail | 2.7% |
| Electrical | fail | 2.7% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2.1% |
| Fluid leaks | user entered | 2.1% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
Rocket mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 8 | 1,556 mi | — | 87.5% |
| 2017 | 12 | 555 mi | 394 | 100% |
| 2016 | 14 | 2,304 mi | 110 | 92.59% |
| 2015 | 11 | 16,149 mi | 374 | 96.3% |
| 2014 | 7 | 615 mi | 69 | 94.74% |
| 2013 | 15 | 3,012 mi | 162 | 90.91% |
| 2012 | 10 | 3,524 mi | 380 | 84.21% |
| 2011 | 12 | 319 mi | 54 | 100% |
| 2010 | 5 | 7,591 mi | 146 | 95.45% |
| 2009 | 6 | 11,005 mi | 97 | 95.83% |
| 2007 | 5 | 10,328 mi | 190 | 86.21% |
| 2005 | 7 | 4,302 mi | 156 | 80% |
| 2004 | 10 | 2,480 mi | 115 | 96.3% |
| 2003 | 9 | 7,944 mi | 244 | 92.16% |
| 2001 | 10 | 10,982 mi | 270 | 95.31% |
| 2000 | 6 | 6,179 mi | 69 | 100% |
| 1999 | 5 | 19,882 mi | 534 | 96.97% |
| 1998 | 7 | 5,257 mi | 121 | 88.1% |
| 1997 | 6 | 9,568 mi | 352 | 97.96% |
| 1995 | 10 | 8,081 mi | 146 | 85.29% |
Rocket questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the BSA Rocket?
Across 752 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (10.1% of all recorded faults), brakes (7.5% of all recorded faults), other (4.1% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a BSA Rocket?
The median BSA Rocket in the UK has covered 7,407 miles, and typically rides about 188 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 2,037 and 21,152 miles.
Is the BSA Rocket reliable?
93.19% of BSA Rocket MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.37 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 752 BSA Rocket motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.