BMW
R 1200
9,557 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where R 1200s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 17.4 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
94.9%
Pass-after-fix
1.8%
Fail
3.0%
Avg miles
25,035
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
R 1200: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 6,930 MOT tests, the R 1200 returns 94.2% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.0 mm. Tyre tread under the limit and uneven braking force round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 23,693, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 26–44
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
26–44
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
77 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
41 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 03
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution
19 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 04
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
15 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 05
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
14 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 06
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
14 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 07
Brake control has insufficient reserve travel
12 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 08
Brake efficiency below minimum requirement
12 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 09
Audible warning not working
6 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 10
Brake control not releasing correctly so that the functionality of brakes affected
6 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£140–£255
If every one of this R 1200's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
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Draper Expert
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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Buying or keeping a R 1200?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a R 1200 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.