Sym Shark MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 2,187 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 24.7%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Sym Shark MOT Reliability Overview
The Sym Shark is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,187 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.3% and a failure rate of 24.7%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Sym Shark earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Sym Shark presents for MOT with approximately 21,138 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2003 models achieve the highest pass rate at 80.3%, while 2004 models have the lowest at 66.5%. This 13.8 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Sym Shark is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 14.1% 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 brakes at 13.7%. Motorcycle tyres and wheels rounds out the top three at 10.4%. 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
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Sym Shark. 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 12 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Sym Shark shows a relatively stable failure rate after warranty — the change of 0% is negligible. Peak failure occurs at age 8 (28.7% 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 | 18.3% | 400 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Brakes | 17.0% | 371 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 11.9% | 260 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 9.3% | 204 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 5.9% | 128 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 2.2% | 49 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 1.4% | 30 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 1.0% | 22 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Tyres | 0.7% | 16 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 0.5% | 11 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.4% | 9 |
| 12 | Items Not Tested | 0.4% | 8 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.2% | 5 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Suspension | 0.2% | 4 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 21,138 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 | 8.65 | 18.3% | 400 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 8.03 | 17.0% | 371 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 5.62 | 11.9% | 260 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 4.41 | 9.3% | 204 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 2.77 | 5.9% | 128 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 1.06 | 2.2% | 49 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.65 | 1.4% | 30 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 0.48 | 1.0% | 22 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.35 | 0.7% | 16 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.24 | 0.5% | 11 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.19 | 0.4% | 9 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.17 | 0.4% | 8 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.11 | 0.2% | 5 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.09 | 0.2% | 4 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.02 | 0.0% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Sym Shark has 21,138 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 Sym Shark has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 11.69% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Sym Shark MOT Data
The Sym Shark is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,187 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.3% and a failure rate of 24.7%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Sym Shark 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 Shark is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 14.1% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 14.1% of MOT failures on the Sym Shark. 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 — 13.7% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 13.7% of MOT failures on the Sym Shark. 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 tyres and wheels — 10.4% of failures
Motorcycle tyres and wheels issues account for 10.4% of MOT failures on the Sym Shark. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Sym Shark?
Based on 2,187 MOT tests in our database, the Sym Shark has an overall pass rate of 75.3% (24.7% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Sym Shark?
The top 3 reasons a Sym Shark fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (14.1%), 2. Motorcycle brakes (13.7%), 3. Motorcycle tyres and wheels (10.4%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Sym Shark reliable?
With a 24.7% MOT failure rate, the Shark is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Sym Shark?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (14.1%); Motorcycle brakes (13.7%); Motorcycle tyres and wheels (10.4%). 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.