1997 BMW R850 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

88.9%

Latest Pass Rate

1,140

Total Tests (All Years)

48,482 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 BMW R850 as it ages.

12 yrs81.1%

→ ↑0.4%

13 yrs81.5%

→ ↑3.0%

14 yrs84.5%

→ ↓2.8%

15 yrs81.7%

→ ↓1.5%

16 yrs80.2%

→ ↑6.7%

17 yrs86.9%

→ ↓1.7%

18 yrs85.2%

→ ↓6.5%

19 yrs78.7%

→ ↑7.9%

20 yrs86.6%

→ ↓16.1%

21 yrs70.5%

→ ↑7.1%

22 yrs77.6%

→ ↑6.4%

23 yrs84.0%

→ ↓8.6%

24 yrs75.4%

→ ↑12.4%

25 yrs87.8%

→ ↓2.8%

26 yrs85.0%

→ ↑3.9%

27 yrs88.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	81.1%	95
13 yrs	81.5%	92
14 yrs	84.5%	84
15 yrs	81.7%	82
16 yrs	80.2%	81
17 yrs	86.9%	84
18 yrs	85.2%	81
19 yrs	78.7%	75
20 yrs	86.6%	67
21 yrs	70.5%	44
22 yrs	77.6%	49
23 yrs	84.0%	50
24 yrs	75.4%	57
25 yrs	87.8%	49
26 yrs	85.0%	60
27 yrs	88.9%	90

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW R850 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	88.9%	90
2023 (26 yrs)	85%	60
2022 (25 yrs)	87.8%	49
2021 (24 yrs)	75.4%	57
2020 (23 yrs)	84%	50
2019 (22 yrs)	77.6%	49
2018 (21 yrs)	70.5%	44
2017 (20 yrs)	86.6%	67
2016 (19 yrs)	78.7%	75
2015 (18 yrs)	85.2%	81
2014 (17 yrs)	86.9%	84
2013 (16 yrs)	80.2%	81
2012 (15 yrs)	81.7%	82
2011 (14 yrs)	84.5%	84
2010 (13 yrs)	81.5%	92
2009 (12 yrs)	81.1%	95

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

81.1%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 95Avg Mileage 37,377Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.5%

2010

81.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 92Avg Mileage 38,306Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.8%

2011

84.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 84Avg Mileage 37,064Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.5%

2012

81.7%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 82Avg Mileage 41,929Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 9.8%

2013

80.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 81Avg Mileage 42,142Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 17.3%

2014

86.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 84Avg Mileage 40,908Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 9.5%

2015

85.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 81Avg Mileage 45,474Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 19.8%

2016

78.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 75Avg Mileage 42,806Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 18.7%

2017

86.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 67Avg Mileage 42,331Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.9%

2018

70.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 44Avg Mileage 46,033Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 29.5%

2019

77.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 49Avg Mileage 50,092Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 14.3%

2020

84.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 50Avg Mileage 44,778Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 14.0%

2021

75.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 57Avg Mileage 49,247Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 33.3%

2022

87.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 49Avg Mileage 51,424Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 14.3%

2023

85.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 60Avg Mileage 51,712Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 20.0%

2024

88.9%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 90Avg Mileage 48,482Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 15.6%

MOT results for 1997 BMW R850 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	81.1%	95	37,377	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.5%
2010	13	81.5%	92	38,306	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.8%
2011	14	84.5%	84	37,064	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.5%
2012	15	81.7%	82	41,929	Motorcycle brakes — 9.8%
2013	16	80.2%	81	42,142	Motorcycle brakes — 17.3%
2014	17	86.9%	84	40,908	Motorcycle brakes — 9.5%
2015	18	85.2%	81	45,474	Motorcycle brakes — 19.8%
2016	19	78.7%	75	42,806	Motorcycle brakes — 18.7%
2017	20	86.6%	67	42,331	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.9%
2018	21	70.5%	44	46,033	Motorcycle brakes — 29.5%
2019	22	77.6%	49	50,092	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 14.3%
2020	23	84.0%	50	44,778	Motorcycle brakes — 14.0%
2021	24	75.4%	57	49,247	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 33.3%
2022	25	87.8%	49	51,424	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 14.3%
2023	26	85.0%	60	51,712	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 20.0%
2024	27	88.9%	90	48,482	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 15.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW R850, with age trends.

Motorcycle lamps and reflectors

17.6%

— Consistent

Motorcycle brakes

12.8%

↑ Increases with age

Motorcycle lighting and signalling

10.3%

— Consistent

Motorcycle suspension

6.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Motorcycle steering and suspension

6.8%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Motorcycle brakes	7.4% (12 yrs)	11.1% (27 yrs)	+3.7%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

← Back to BMW R850 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW R850 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW R850 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,140 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

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