Triumph Bonneville
Real ownership data from 10,681 UK Bonneville motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Bonneville problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | fail | 22.9% |
| Suspension | dangerous | 9.8% |
| Fluid leaks | fail | 7.5% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 6.6% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 6.2% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 6% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 5.3% |
| Fuel system | major | 4.8% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is frame and structure.
Bonneville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 | 15,204 mi | — | 100% |
| 2020 | 17 | 3,588 mi | 6 | 94.74% |
| 2019 | 35 | 8,456 mi | 38 | 91.67% |
| 2018 | 77 | 7,104 mi | 74 | 91% |
| 2017 | 86 | 6,139 mi | 78 | 88.62% |
| 2016 | 125 | 6,011 mi | 138 | 90.04% |
| 2015 | 111 | 5,738 mi | 279 | 91.2% |
| 2014 | 65 | 1,850 mi | 207 | 92.41% |
| 2013 | 93 | 2,364 mi | 222 | 88.02% |
| 2012 | 73 | 3,218 mi | 283 | 88.56% |
| 2011 | 104 | 6,371 mi | 499 | 92.81% |
| 2010 | 131 | 4,554 mi | 280 | 92.2% |
| 2009 | 184 | 9,684 mi | 477 | 88.15% |
| 2008 | 164 | 10,714 mi | 498 | 86.11% |
| 2007 | 198 | 10,318 mi | 500 | 86.26% |
| 2006 | 481 | 12,258 mi | 616 | 85.75% |
| 2005 | 527 | 12,562 mi | 657 | 86.4% |
| 2004 | 925 | 13,326 mi | 626 | 86.61% |
| 2003 | 729 | 13,160 mi | 614 | 87.54% |
| 2002 | 562 | 14,038 mi | 573 | 88.35% |
Bonneville questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Triumph Bonneville?
Across 10,681 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are electrical (22.9% of all recorded faults), suspension (9.8% of all recorded faults), fluid leaks (7.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Triumph Bonneville?
The median Triumph Bonneville in the UK has covered 12,929 miles, and typically rides about 376 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 5,568 and 22,676 miles.
Is the Triumph Bonneville reliable?
87.57% of Triumph Bonneville MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.01 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 10,681 Triumph Bonneville motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.