Norton 650SS
Real ownership data from 189 UK 650SS motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common 650SS problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | fail | 10.3% |
| Tyres | fail | 7.9% |
| Brakes | fail | 7.9% |
| Other | user entered | 3.6% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 3.2% |
| Electrical | prs | 2.8% |
| Suspension | fail | 2.4% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brakes.
650SS 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 5 | 6,512 mi | 308 | 100% |
| 1968 | 20 | 10,373 mi | 239 | 92.5% |
| 1967 | 8 | 31,483 mi | 290 | 80.85% |
| 1966 | 10 | 12,400 mi | 255 | 93.22% |
| 1965 | 13 | 4,501 mi | 148 | 96.7% |
| 1964 | 26 | 4,352 mi | 195 | 94.83% |
| 1963 | 25 | 13,952 mi | 107 | 95.39% |
| 1962 | 38 | 10,058 mi | 215 | 93.2% |
| 1961 | 8 | 4,168 mi | 76 | 97.37% |
650SS questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Norton 650SS?
Across 189 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (10.3% of all recorded faults), tyres (7.9% of all recorded faults), brakes (7.9% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Norton 650SS?
The median Norton 650SS in the UK has covered 9,472 miles, and typically rides about 195 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 2,389 and 23,517 miles.
Is the Norton 650SS reliable?
94.04% of Norton 650SS MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.22 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 189 Norton 650SS motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.