Triumph Bonneville
Real ownership data from 10,687 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | dangerous | 20.9% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 13.6% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 11.1% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 5.7% |
| Chain and sprockets | dangerous | 5.1% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 4.4% |
| Other | fail | 2.2% |
| Electrical | minor | 1.9% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
Bonneville 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 | 15,204 mi | — | 100% |
| 2020 | 17 | 3,588 mi | 6 | 94.74% |
| 2019 | 34 | 8,462 mi | 38 | 91.67% |
| 2018 | 74 | 7,772 mi | 74 | 90.72% |
| 2017 | 86 | 6,139 mi | 78 | 88.62% |
| 2016 | 124 | 6,189 mi | 138 | 90% |
| 2015 | 111 | 5,738 mi | 279 | 91.2% |
| 2014 | 65 | 1,850 mi | 207 | 92.41% |
| 2013 | 92 | 2,364 mi | 222 | 87.96% |
| 2012 | 73 | 3,218 mi | 283 | 88.56% |
| 2011 | 104 | 6,371 mi | 499 | 92.83% |
| 2010 | 130 | 4,424 mi | 287 | 92.64% |
| 2009 | 184 | 9,684 mi | 474 | 88.08% |
| 2008 | 164 | 10,714 mi | 498 | 86.19% |
| 2007 | 198 | 10,318 mi | 488 | 86.32% |
| 2006 | 481 | 12,258 mi | 622 | 85.79% |
| 2005 | 526 | 12,625 mi | 650 | 86.43% |
| 2004 | 925 | 13,372 mi | 624 | 86.57% |
| 2003 | 730 | 13,218 mi | 612 | 87.56% |
| 2002 | 563 | 14,070 mi | 575 | 88.39% |
Bonneville questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Triumph Bonneville?
Across 10,687 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are suspension (20.9% of all recorded faults), wheels (13.6% of all recorded faults), frame and structure (11.1% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Triumph Bonneville?
The median Triumph Bonneville in the UK has covered 12,946 miles, and typically rides about 376 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 5,574 and 22,707 miles.
Is the Triumph Bonneville reliable?
87.57% of Triumph Bonneville MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 10,687 Triumph Bonneville motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.