MOT cost .

Royal Enfield

Bullet 500

1,008 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Bullet 500s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 13.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,988 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

88.8%

Pass-after-fix

4.9%

Fail

5.6%

Avg miles

10,403

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

The picture

Bullet 500: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 1,008 MOT tests, the Bullet 500 returns 88.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a non-conforming number plate. Lamp missing or inoperative and direction indicator lamp missing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 10,403, 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

    Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

    9 occurrences · 0.9% of tests

  2. 02

    A lamp missing or inoperative

    6 occurrences · 0.6% of tests

  3. 03

    A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    6 occurrences · 0.6% of tests

  4. 04

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    6 occurrences · 0.6% of tests

  5. 05

    A tyre with a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure, including any lifting of the tread rubber

    6 occurrences · 0.6% of tests

  6. 06

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

    4 occurrences · 0.4% of tests

  7. 07

    The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

    4 occurrences · 0.4% of tests

  8. 08

    Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    4 occurrences · 0.4% of tests

  9. 09

    Reflector colour or position not in accordance with the requirements

    4 occurrences · 0.4% of tests

  10. 10

    A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released

    4 occurrences · 0.4% 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

£75–£130

If every one of this Bullet 500'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

MOT-spec replacement number plate

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

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

Buying or keeping a Bullet 500?

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 Bullet 500 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.