Ducati S4 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 3,036 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 15.8%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Ducati S4 MOT Reliability Overview
The Ducati S4 is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 3,036 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 6 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 84.2% and a failure rate of 15.8%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Ducati S4 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Ducati S4 presents for MOT with approximately 13,240 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2006 models achieve the highest pass rate at 93.8%, while 2004 models have the lowest at 71.6%. This 22.2 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Ducati S4 is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 10.5% 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 brakes at 4.1%. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors rounds out the top three at 3.6%. 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
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 2 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Ducati S4 vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Ducati S4. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 7 to 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Ducati S4 shows a relatively stable failure rate after warranty — the change of 0% is negligible. Peak failure occurs at age 17 (23.0% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* 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
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 11.8% | 358 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Brakes | 4.5% | 137 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 3.7% | 113 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.6% | 108 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 3.2% | 97 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 3.1% | 95 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Drive System | 2.0% | 61 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 1.3% | 38 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 1.3% | 38 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Suspension | 0.6% | 19 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Tyres | 0.6% | 19 |
| 12 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.4% | 11 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.2% | 5 |
| 14 | Non-component Advisories | 0.2% | 5 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.1% | 4 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 13,240 miFor 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.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 8.91 | 11.8% | 358 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 3.41 | 4.5% | 137 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 2.81 | 3.7% | 113 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 2.69 | 3.6% | 108 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 2.41 | 3.2% | 97 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 2.36 | 3.1% | 95 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 1.52 | 2.0% | 61 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.95 | 1.3% | 38 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.95 | 1.3% | 38 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.47 | 0.6% | 19 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.47 | 0.6% | 19 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.27 | 0.4% | 11 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.12 | 0.2% | 5 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.12 | 0.2% | 5 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.10 | 0.1% | 4 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Ducati S4 has 13,240 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.
The Ducati S4 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 11.93% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Ducati S4 MOT Data
The Ducati S4 is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 3,036 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 6 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 84.2% and a failure rate of 15.8%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Ducati S4 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 brakes 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 S4 is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 10.5% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 10.5% of MOT failures on the Ducati S4. 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 brakes — 4.1% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 4.1% of MOT failures on the Ducati S4. 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).
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 3.6% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 3.6% of MOT failures on the Ducati S4. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ducati S4?
Based on 3,036 MOT tests in our database, the Ducati S4 has an overall pass rate of 84.2% (15.8% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Ducati S4?
The top 3 reasons a Ducati S4 fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (10.5%), 2. Motorcycle brakes (4.1%), 3. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (3.6%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Ducati S4 reliable?
With a 15.8% MOT failure rate, the S4 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Ducati S4?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (10.5%); Motorcycle brakes (4.1%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (3.6%). 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.