1998 Triumph Thunderbird — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

87.7%

Latest Pass Rate

4,027

Total Tests (All Years)

20,840 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 1998 Triumph Thunderbird as it ages.

11 yrs90.8%

→ ↓4.9%

12 yrs85.9%

→ ↓1.8%

13 yrs84.1%

→ ↓1.5%

14 yrs82.6%

→ ↑5.8%

15 yrs88.4%

→ ↓5.8%

16 yrs82.6%

→ ↑1.0%

17 yrs83.6%

→ ↑2.7%

18 yrs86.3%

→ ↓0.7%

19 yrs85.6%

→ ↑3.2%

20 yrs88.8%

→ ↑1.0%

21 yrs89.8%

→ ↓3.0%

22 yrs86.8%

→ ↑1.9%

23 yrs88.7%

→ ↓0.3%

24 yrs88.4%

→ ↑3.9%

25 yrs92.3%

→ ↓4.6%

26 yrs87.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	90.8%	336
12 yrs	85.9%	305
13 yrs	84.1%	314
14 yrs	82.6%	299
15 yrs	88.4%	292
16 yrs	82.6%	276
17 yrs	83.6%	262
18 yrs	86.3%	256
19 yrs	85.6%	236
20 yrs	88.8%	188
21 yrs	89.8%	166
22 yrs	86.8%	144
23 yrs	88.7%	212
24 yrs	88.4%	172
25 yrs	92.3%	194
26 yrs	87.7%	375

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 Triumph Thunderbird pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	87.7%	375
2023 (25 yrs)	92.3%	194
2022 (24 yrs)	88.4%	172
2021 (23 yrs)	88.7%	212
2020 (22 yrs)	86.8%	144
2019 (21 yrs)	89.8%	166
2018 (20 yrs)	88.8%	188
2017 (19 yrs)	85.6%	236
2016 (18 yrs)	86.3%	256
2015 (17 yrs)	83.6%	262
2014 (16 yrs)	82.6%	276
2013 (15 yrs)	88.4%	292
2012 (14 yrs)	82.6%	299
2011 (13 yrs)	84.1%	314
2010 (12 yrs)	85.9%	305
2009 (11 yrs)	90.8%	336

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

90.8%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 336Avg Mileage 15,600Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 3.6%

2010

85.9%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 305Avg Mileage 17,484Top Failure Motorcycle steering and suspension — 5.6%

2011

84.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 314Avg Mileage 16,976Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 7.3%

2012

82.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 299Avg Mileage 17,648Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 10.4%

2013

88.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 292Avg Mileage 17,967Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.6%

2014

82.6%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 276Avg Mileage 19,622Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.2%

2015

83.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 262Avg Mileage 19,992Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.1%

2016

86.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 256Avg Mileage 20,171Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.0%

2017

85.6%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 236Avg Mileage 19,708Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.0%

2018

88.8%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 188Avg Mileage 19,687Top Failure Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 3.7%

2019

89.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 166Avg Mileage 19,955Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 7.8%

2020

86.8%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 144Avg Mileage 19,914Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 6.3%

2021

88.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 212Avg Mileage 20,655Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 8.0%

2022

88.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 172Avg Mileage 19,812Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 5.8%

2023

92.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 194Avg Mileage 20,307Top Failure Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 4.1%

2024

87.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 375Avg Mileage 20,840Top Failure Motorcycle brakes — 9.1%

MOT results for 1998 Triumph Thunderbird by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	90.8%	336	15,600	Motorcycle brakes — 3.6%
2010	12	85.9%	305	17,484	Motorcycle steering and suspension — 5.6%
2011	13	84.1%	314	16,976	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 7.3%
2012	14	82.6%	299	17,648	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 10.4%
2013	15	88.4%	292	17,967	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.6%
2014	16	82.6%	276	19,622	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.2%
2015	17	83.6%	262	19,992	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.1%
2016	18	86.3%	256	20,171	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 9.0%
2017	19	85.6%	236	19,708	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 11.0%
2018	20	88.8%	188	19,687	Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 3.7%
2019	21	89.8%	166	19,955	Motorcycle brakes — 7.8%
2020	22	86.8%	144	19,914	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 6.3%
2021	23	88.7%	212	20,655	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 8.0%
2022	24	88.4%	172	19,812	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 5.8%
2023	25	92.3%	194	20,307	Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 4.1%
2024	26	87.7%	375	20,840	Motorcycle brakes — 9.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 Triumph Thunderbird, with age trends.

Motorcycle lighting and signalling

8.2%

— Consistent

Motorcycle lamps and reflectors

5.5%

↑ Increases with age

Motorcycle brakes

5.3%

↑ Increases with age

Motorcycle steering and suspension

4.2%

— Consistent

Motorcycle tyres and wheels

4.1%

— 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	3.6% (11 yrs)	9.1% (26 yrs)	+5.5%	🔴 ↑

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,027 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.