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1981 BMW R80 MOT Pass Rate

Pass rate for R80 models manufactured in 1981, based on 462 real MOT test results.

88.1%
Pass Rate
11.9%
Fail Rate
462
Total Tests
30,086
Avg Mileage

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

This page shows all R80 cars tested in 1981. Want to see how cars built in 1981 hold up over time?

View 1981 BMW R80 vintage page → (90.3% current pass rate)

1981 BMW R80 MOT Analysis

The 1981 BMW R80 has an MOT pass rate of 88.1% based on 462 tests — well above the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 30,086 miles on the odometer. With a 11.9% failure rate, the 1981 R80 is rated as "Excellent" for MOT reliability.

The leading cause of MOT failure for the 1981 BMW R80 is Motorcycle lamps and reflectors, responsible for 0.9% of failures. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs range from £5–50.

Top failures specific to 1981 models only. The overall R80 page may show different rankings.

What Fails Most

Motorcycle lamps and reflectors 0.9%

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 Lamps And Reflectors0.9%4

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 30,086 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 lamps and reflectors0.29% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors0.290.9%4

Mileage Statistics

30,086
Mean
23,504
Median
10,493
25th Percentile
61,034
75th Percentile
3.96% failures per 10K miles

Mileage-adjusted failure rate — accounts for how much this model year is typically driven.

About This Data

The 1981 BMW R80 has an MOT pass rate of 88.1% based on 462 tests — well above the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 30,086 miles on the odometer. With a 11.9% failure rate, the 1981 R80 is rated as "Excellent" for MOT reliability.

If you own or are considering buying a 1981 BMW R80, you can expect reliable MOT performance overall. Before your MOT, pay particular attention to motorcycle lamps and reflectors: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test. With relatively low average mileage of 30,086 miles, many of these vehicles are still in good mechanical condition.

Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 0.9% of failures

Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 0.9% of MOT failures on 1981 BMW R80 models. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.

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

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