1997 Triumph Thunderbird — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

87.1%

Latest Pass Rate

2,571

Total Tests (All Years)

21,632 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 Triumph Thunderbird as it ages.

12 yrs83.6%

→ ↑0.5%

13 yrs84.1%

→ ↓0.5%

14 yrs83.6%

→ ↑0.6%

15 yrs84.2%

→ ↑3.0%

16 yrs87.2%

→ ↓2.6%

17 yrs84.6%

→ ↓0.8%

18 yrs83.8%

→ ↑6.4%

19 yrs90.2%

→ ↓10.3%

20 yrs79.9%

→ ↑8.2%

21 yrs88.1%

→ ↓5.5%

22 yrs82.6%

→ ↑2.8%

23 yrs85.4%

→ ↓0.2%

24 yrs85.2%

→ ↑0.5%

25 yrs85.7%

→ ↑2.5%

26 yrs88.2%

→ ↓1.1%

27 yrs87.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	83.6%	207
13 yrs	84.1%	201
14 yrs	83.6%	195
15 yrs	84.2%	183
16 yrs	87.2%	172
17 yrs	84.6%	162
18 yrs	83.8%	167
19 yrs	90.2%	163
20 yrs	79.9%	134
21 yrs	88.1%	101
22 yrs	82.6%	121
23 yrs	85.4%	103
24 yrs	85.2%	135
25 yrs	85.7%	119
26 yrs	88.2%	136
27 yrs	87.1%	272

Pass Rate Trend

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

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	87.1%	272
2023 (26 yrs)	88.2%	136
2022 (25 yrs)	85.7%	119
2021 (24 yrs)	85.2%	135
2020 (23 yrs)	85.4%	103
2019 (22 yrs)	82.6%	121
2018 (21 yrs)	88.1%	101
2017 (20 yrs)	79.9%	134
2016 (19 yrs)	90.2%	163
2015 (18 yrs)	83.8%	167
2014 (17 yrs)	84.6%	162
2013 (16 yrs)	87.2%	172
2012 (15 yrs)	84.2%	183
2011 (14 yrs)	83.6%	195
2010 (13 yrs)	84.1%	201
2009 (12 yrs)	83.6%	207

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

83.6%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 207Avg Mileage 15,072Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 7.2%

2010

84.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 201Avg Mileage 15,046Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 8.0%

2011

83.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 195Avg Mileage 16,630Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 10.8%

2012

84.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 183Avg Mileage 16,850Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.8%

2013

87.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 172Avg Mileage 17,562Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.0%

2014

84.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 162Avg Mileage 18,222Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 13.0%

2015

83.8%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 167Avg Mileage 21,039Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 12.0%

2016

90.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 163Avg Mileage 18,583Top Failure Motorcycle steering and suspension — 5.5%

2017

79.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 134Avg Mileage 20,570Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 12.7%

2018

88.1%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 101Avg Mileage 20,810Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 3.0%

2019

82.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 121Avg Mileage 19,534Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 15.7%

2020

85.4%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 103Avg Mileage 20,685Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 8.7%

2021

85.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 135Avg Mileage 21,316Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 12.6%

2022

85.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 119Avg Mileage 21,861Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 10.1%

2023

88.2%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 136Avg Mileage 22,839Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 11.0%

2024

87.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 272Avg Mileage 21,632Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 7.0%

MOT results for 1997 Triumph Thunderbird by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	83.6%	207	15,072	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 7.2%
2010	13	84.1%	201	15,046	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 8.0%
2011	14	83.6%	195	16,630	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 10.8%
2012	15	84.2%	183	16,850	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.8%
2013	16	87.2%	172	17,562	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.0%
2014	17	84.6%	162	18,222	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 13.0%
2015	18	83.8%	167	21,039	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 12.0%
2016	19	90.2%	163	18,583	Motorcycle steering and suspension — 5.5%
2017	20	79.9%	134	20,570	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 12.7%
2018	21	88.1%	101	20,810	Motorcycle brakes — 3.0%
2019	22	82.6%	121	19,534	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 15.7%
2020	23	85.4%	103	20,685	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 8.7%
2021	24	85.2%	135	21,316	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 12.6%
2022	25	85.7%	119	21,861	Motorcycle brakes — 10.1%
2023	26	88.2%	136	22,839	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 11.0%
2024	27	87.1%	272	21,632	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 7.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Triumph Thunderbird, with age trends.

Motorcycle lighting and signalling

9.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Motorcycle lamps and reflectors

9.2%

↑ Increases with age

Motorcycle brakes

6.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Motorcycle steering and suspension

4.1%

— Consistent

Motorcycle tyres and wheels

4.0%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Motorcycle brakes	5.3% (12 yrs)	2.2% (27 yrs)	-3.1%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Triumph Thunderbird page →

About This Data

This page shows how Triumph Thunderbird cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,571 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.