Ducati 851
Real ownership data from 301 UK 851 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common 851 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | major | 11.1% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 11.1% |
| Other | major | 11.1% |
| Tyres | fail | 10.6% |
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 10.1% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 7.6% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 7.6% |
| Electrical | major | 7.1% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is fluid leaks.
851 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 9 | 15,205 mi | 263 | 86.44% |
| 1993 | 20 | 17,942 mi | 118 | 88.71% |
| 1992 | 61 | 18,601 mi | 187 | 87.69% |
| 1991 | 78 | 19,684 mi | 192 | 90.63% |
| 1990 | 53 | 18,246 mi | 96 | 90.44% |
| 1989 | 43 | 18,536 mi | 218 | 91.22% |
851 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Ducati 851?
Across 301 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (11.1% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (11.1% of all recorded faults), other (11.1% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Ducati 851?
The median Ducati 851 in the UK has covered 18,400 miles, and typically rides about 174 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 11,714 and 25,576 miles.
Is the Ducati 851 reliable?
89.43% of Ducati 851 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.1 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 301 Ducati 851 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.