MOT cost .
BMW R1250
MOT 2023
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BMW

R1250

7,307 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where R1250s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 19.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,988 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

95.5%

Pass-after-fix

2.3%

Fail

1.8%

Avg miles

12,003

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

The picture

R1250: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 7,307 MOT tests, the R1250 returns 95.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Brake pads worn below 1.0 mm and a non-conforming number plate round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 12,003, 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.

Top ten reasons for rejection.

  1. 01

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    30 occurrences · 0.4% of tests

  2. 02

    Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm

    17 occurrences · 0.2% of tests

  3. 03

    Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

    15 occurrences · 0.2% of tests

  4. 04

    Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution

    15 occurrences · 0.2% of tests

  5. 05

    Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake

    7 occurrences · 0.1% of tests

  6. 06

    A stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released

    7 occurrences · 0.1% of tests

  7. 07

    Brake control has insufficient reserve travel

    5 occurrences · 0.1% of tests

  8. 08

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    5 occurrences · 0.1% of tests

  9. 09

    Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements

    4 occurrences · 0.1% of tests

  10. 10

    A footrest missing or insecure

    4 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 3 failures

£155–£290

If every one of this R1250'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 →

Try the calculator

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

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

Item 02 · 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 03 · Amazon UK

MOT-spec replacement number plate

Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.

Search Amazon UK

Buying or keeping a R1250?

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 R1250 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.