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Pass Your MOT

Benelli 491 MOT Pass Rate

Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 598 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 25.9%.

74.1%
Pass Rate
25.9%
Fail Rate
598
Total Tests
Motorcycle lighting and signalling
Top Failure

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Benelli 491 MOT Reliability Overview

The Benelli 491 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 598 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 74.1% and a failure rate of 25.9%, which is above the UK average of approximately 37%.

Based on this data, the Benelli 491 earns a "Very Good" reliability rating. The average Benelli 491 presents for MOT with approximately 9,932 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2009 models achieve the highest pass rate at 91.9%, while 2003 models have the lowest at 62.5%. This 29.4 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.

The most common MOT failure for the Benelli 491 is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 18.1% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle steering and suspension at 17.4%. Motorcycle brakes rounds out the top three at 9.9%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.

Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.

What Fails Most

Motorcycle lighting and signalling 18.1%
Motorcycle steering and suspension 17.4%
Motorcycle brakes 9.9%
⚖️ Compare

Pass Rate by Manufacture Year

91.9%
Tests Avg Mileage 4,962Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors
81.8%
Tests Avg Mileage 7,401Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling
2003High Fail Rate
62.5%
Tests Avg Mileage 10,267Top Failure Motorcycle steering and suspension
65.1%
Tests Avg Mileage 12,113Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling
73.1%
Tests Avg Mileage 9,983Top Failure Motorcycle steering and suspension
70.7%
Tests Avg Mileage 13,281Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling
83.3%
Tests Avg Mileage 9,875Top Failure Motorcycle steering and suspension

* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).

What Fails on This Car?

Click a category to see specific failure items.

View as table
MOT failure categories ranked by failure rate
RankFailure CategoryRate (%)Count
1Motorcycle Steering And Suspension24.6%147
2Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling24.1%144
3Motorcycle Brakes12.0%72
4Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels6.5%39
5Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust5.5%33
6Motorcycle Body And Structure5.0%30
7Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin2.2%13
8Motorcycle Structure And Attachments1.0%6
9Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors1.0%6
10Motorcycle Driving Controls0.8%5
11Motorcycle Suspension0.7%4
12Motorcycle Tyres0.7%4
13Items Not Tested0.5%3
14Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn)0.2%1

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 9,932 mi

For every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.

Motorcycle steering and suspension24.75% per 10K miMotorcycle lighting and signalling24.25% per 10K miMotorcycle brakes12.12% per 10K miMotorcycle tyres and wheels6.57% per 10K miMotorcycle fuel and exhaust5.56% per 10K miMotorcycle body and structure5.05% per 10K miMotorcycle reg plates and vin2.19% per 10K miMotorcycle structure and attachments1.01% per 10K miMotorcycle lamps and reflectors1.01% per 10K miMotorcycle driving controls0.84% per 10K miMotorcycle suspension0.67% per 10K miMotorcycle tyres0.67% per 10K miItems Not Tested0.51% per 10K miMotorcycle audible warning (Horn)0.17% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Motorcycle steering and suspension24.7524.6%147
Motorcycle lighting and signalling24.2524.1%144
Motorcycle brakes12.1212.0%72
Motorcycle tyres and wheels6.576.5%39
Motorcycle fuel and exhaust5.565.5%33
Motorcycle body and structure5.055.0%30
Motorcycle reg plates and vin2.192.2%13
Motorcycle structure and attachments1.011.0%6
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors1.011.0%6
Motorcycle driving controls0.840.8%5
Motorcycle suspension0.670.7%4
Motorcycle tyres0.670.7%4
Items Not Tested0.510.5%3
Motorcycle audible warning (Horn)0.170.2%1

🚗 Similar Cars to Consider

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No comparable models

Mileage at MOT

9,932
Mean
13,150
Median
5,776
25th Percentile
16,137
75th Percentile

The average Benelli 491 has 9,932 miles when tested for MOT.

📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate

How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.

26.08%
Fail Rate per 10K Miles
Average across all makes: 5.38%
25.9%
Overall Fail Rate
9,932 avg miles
🔴 Poor — above average failure rate

The Benelli 491 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 26.08% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.

About Benelli 491 MOT Data

The Benelli 491 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 598 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 74.1% and a failure rate of 25.9%, which is above the UK average of approximately 37%.

For Benelli 491 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle steering and suspension for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific 491 is likely to perform.

Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 18.1% of failures

Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 18.1% of MOT failures on the Benelli 491. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.

Motorcycle steering and suspension — 17.4% of failures

Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 17.4% of MOT failures on the Benelli 491. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.

Motorcycle brakes — 9.9% of failures

Motorcycle brakes issues account for 9.9% of MOT failures on the Benelli 491. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Benelli 491?

Based on 598 MOT tests in our database, the Benelli 491 has an overall pass rate of 74.1% (25.9% fail rate).

What are the most common MOT failures on a Benelli 491?

The top 3 reasons a Benelli 491 fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (18.1%), 2. Motorcycle steering and suspension (17.4%), 3. Motorcycle brakes (9.9%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.

Is the Benelli 491 reliable?

With a 25.9% MOT failure rate, the 491 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.

What should I check before an MOT on my Benelli 491?

Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (18.1%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (17.4%); Motorcycle brakes (9.9%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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