The picture
Himalayan: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,606 MOT tests, the Himalayan returns 90.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a stop-lamp out. Stiff steering bearings and steering head bearings have excessive wear round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 7,369, 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.
- 01
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
10 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 02
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
8 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 03
Steering head bearings have excessive wear or play
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 04
Rate of flashing not between 60 and 120 times per minute
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 05
Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 06
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 07
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 08
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 09
Handlebar grip insecure to handlebar
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 10
A lamp not securely attached
4 occurrences · 0.2% 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
£188–£415
If every one of this Himalayan'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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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.
Buying or keeping a Himalayan?
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 Himalayan 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.