Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2002 Triumph Tiger?

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 2002 Triumph Tiger?

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 2002 Triumph Tiger?

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 2002 Triumph Tiger reliable?

Based on MOT data from 250 vehicles, the 2002 Triumph Tiger has a first-time MOT pass rate of 86.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2002 Triumph Tiger?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2002 Triumph Tiger are: Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (55.5% of vehicles), Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (53% of vehicles), Drive chain slightly loose (50.4% 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 2002 Triumph Tiger?

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.

CarHunch

Get Started

Triumph Tiger (2002)

250 real MOT outcomes analysed • 86.9% first-time pass rate

2002 Triumph Tiger

CarHunch analysed 250 real MOT records for the 2002 Triumph Tiger. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

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 Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2002 Triumph Tiger has a first-time pass rate of 86.9%, which is a solid 6.9 percentage points above the UK average—a genuinely positive sign for reliability. However, nearly one in five of these bikes (19.6%) have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, so a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified technician is non-negotiable.

At an average mileage of 27,397 km, these Tigers have been used moderately for their age, and the 2.0 average failures per test suggest they're generally sound mechanically. The high advisory count of 7.0 per vehicle points to minor wear items and cosmetic issues rather than structural problems—get a mechanic to prioritise the dangerous defects checklist before handing over any money.

We have limited data for the 2002 Triumph Tiger — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 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

86.9%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

19.6%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

Over 14.2 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

26k

Middle half: 17k–34k

For context

These stats describe 250 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.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 250 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 55.5%

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.

Lighting 50.4%

Drive chain slightly loose

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

Brake wear 25.4%

Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Front Roller brake test indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort · Rear Brake disc(s) slightly worn · …

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

Other issues 15.6%

Drive chain worn but not considered excessive · Horn not working

Suspension & steering 10.3%

Steering movement slightly 'notchy'

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2002.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 250 Triumph Tiger cars.

Before you buy a 2002 Triumph Tiger

Based on MOT data from 250 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 19.6% 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 (99%)	248	86.8%	2.01

Colour Breakdown

Based on 24,753 Triumph Tiger vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 22.8%

5,641

White 22.4%

5,555

Blue 19.1%

4,728

Red 10%

2,477

Silver 7.8%

1,936

Green 7.7%

1,909

Grey 4.1%

1,026

Orange 3.7%

920

Yellow 1.7%

426

Multi-colour 0.2%

Maroon 0.2%

Gold 0.2%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2002 Triumph Tiger 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.

25,605

typical

16,762

low mileage

33,609

high mileage

Half of all 2002 Triumph Tiger vehicles fall between 16,762 and 33,609 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 16,762 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.

✓ 16,762–33,609 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2002 Triumph Tigers sit.

⚠ Over 45,372 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2002 Triumph Tiger — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 60% of 2002 Triumph Tigers are still active.

98 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 60% of the peak remain.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* 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

14.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Triumph Tiger: All Tiger years → Which year to buy? →

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Or browse all models: Triumph →

Compare with another model

See how the 2002 Triumph Tiger stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?