Triumph 650
Real ownership data from 148 UK 650 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common 650 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | fail | 12.4% |
| Brakes | fail | 5.9% |
| Tyres | fail | 5.5% |
| Other | fail | 4.8% |
| Electrical | prs | 2.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2.8% |
| Fluid leaks | user entered | 2.1% |
| Suspension | fail | 1.7% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
650 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5 | 11,749 mi | 274 | 96.97% |
| 1973 | 9 | 13,666 mi | 121 | 88.89% |
| 1972 | 7 | 3,384 mi | 218 | 93.18% |
| 1971 | 9 | 20,470 mi | 169 | 85.37% |
| 1970 | 7 | 5,877 mi | 338 | 91.94% |
| 1969 | 13 | 7,577 mi | 108 | 97.1% |
| 1968 | 7 | 20,519 mi | 136 | 88.24% |
| 1967 | 9 | 9,049 mi | 146 | 93.1% |
| 1966 | 5 | 5,529 mi | 44 | 92.86% |
| 1961 | 8 | 1,742 mi | 368 | 93.33% |
| 1960 | 7 | 4,541 mi | 168 | 94.44% |
650 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Triumph 650?
Across 148 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (12.4% of all recorded faults), brakes (5.9% of all recorded faults), tyres (5.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Triumph 650?
The median Triumph 650 in the UK has covered 8,207 miles, and typically rides about 169 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 2,241 and 23,994 miles.
Is the Triumph 650 reliable?
91.95% of Triumph 650 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.35 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 148 Triumph 650 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.