Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout reliable?

Based on MOT data from 124 vehicles, the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout has a first-time MOT pass rate of 95%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout are: Exhaust noisy (112.8% of vehicles), COVID-19 6 MONTH EXTENSION (19.7% of vehicles), Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (14.5% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Indian Motorcycle Scout (2017)

124 real MOT outcomes analysed • 95% first-time pass rate

2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout

CarHunch analysed 124 real MOT records for the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Compare Models

The 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout is notably reliable, with a 94.3% first-time MOT pass rate that sits well above the UK average of 80%. Only 6.5% of these bikes have ever recorded a dangerous defect, which is reassuringly low and suggests good structural and safety integrity across the sample.

These are lightly-used machines, with a median mileage of just 5,693 miles despite being six years old, indicating many are weekend or collection bikes rather than daily commuters. With only 0.33 failures per vehicle on average and just 2.1 minor advisories, the Scout demonstrates solid build quality—if you're buying one, a full service history and inspection of the cooling system (where most advisories cluster on this model) should be your priority.

We have limited data for the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Around 1 in 20 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

95%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

6.5%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.33

Over 5.5 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

Middle half: 3k–8k

For context

These stats describe 124 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 124 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Exhaust & emissions 112.8%

Exhaust noisy · Offside Rear Exhaust noisy · Rear Exhaust noisy · …

Other issues 19.7%

COVID-19 6 MONTH EXTENSION · Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements · Aftermarket silencers fitted (baffled at time of test) · …

Brake wear 14.5%

Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Rear Brake indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Lighting 12%

Rear reflector missing · Headlamp aim too high · Headlamp aim too low · …

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Tyre wear 11.2%

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2017.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 124 Indian Motorcycle Scout cars.

Before you buy a 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout

Based on MOT data from 124 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 6.5% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (98%)	121	94.9%	0.34

Mileage Distribution

Most 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

5,693

typical

3,128

low mileage

8,314

high mileage

Half of all 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout vehicles fall between 3,128 and 8,314 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 3,128 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 3,128–8,314 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scouts sit.

⚠ Over 11,223 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout — Still on the Road

Almost all 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scouts are still on the road.

Strong survival — 97 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 92% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2020–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

5.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.33

Avg failures per vehicle

2.1

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Indian Motorcycle Scout: All Scout years → Which year to buy? →

2018 2019 2020

Or browse all models: Indian Motorcycle →

Compare with another model

See how the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Scout stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?