Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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 2011 Triumph Tiger reliable?

Based on MOT data from 575 vehicles, the 2011 Triumph Tiger has a first-time MOT pass rate of 93.2%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2011 Triumph Tiger?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2011 Triumph Tiger are: Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (44.3% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (40.4% of vehicles), Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (29.5% 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 2011 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.

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Triumph Tiger (2011)

575 real MOT outcomes analysed • 93.2% first-time pass rate

2011 Triumph Tiger

CarHunch analysed 575 real MOT records for the 2011 Triumph Tiger. 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 Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2011 Triumph Tiger is significantly more reliable than the UK average, with a 93.2% first-time pass rate compared to 80%, and only 15.7% of vehicles ever recording a dangerous defect—well within acceptable bounds for a motorcycle of this age. This is a genuinely strong result that suggests the Tiger was well-engineered and owners tend to maintain them properly.

At an average mileage of 18,865 miles for a 13-year-old bike, these Tigers have been ridden conservatively, which partly explains the high pass rate. The 0.77 average failures per vehicle is low, though 3.3 advisories suggests minor wear items (brake pads, chain, seals) crop up regularly—normal for a used adventure bike. If you're considering one, have a pre-purchase inspection done by someone familiar with Triumph twins, but the headline numbers say this model is a solid bet.

The 2011 Triumph Tiger passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (93.2%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ 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

93.2%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

15.7%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.77

Over 10 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

17k

Middle half: 11k–25k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 93.2% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 3.3 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 575 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 575 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 44.3%

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Rear 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.

Brake wear 29.5%

Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Front 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 15.3%

Drive chain slightly loose

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

Exhaust & emissions 14%

Exhaust noisy

Suspension & steering 7.2%

Steering headbearing slightly stiff or notchy · Rear Wheel bearing has slight play

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

Other issues 6.6%

Drive chain worn but not considered excessive

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2011.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 575 Triumph Tiger cars.

Before you buy a 2011 Triumph Tiger

Based on MOT data from 575 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 15.7% 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

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 2011 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.

16,933

typical

10,660

low mileage

25,330

high mileage

Half of all 2011 Triumph Tiger vehicles fall between 10,660 and 25,330 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 10,660 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.

✓ 10,660–25,330 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2011 Triumph Tigers sit.

⚠ Over 34,195 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2011 Triumph Tiger — Still on the Road

Most 2011 Triumph Tigers are still being driven.

385 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 77% 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

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.77

Avg failures per vehicle

3.3

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

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See how the 2011 Triumph Tiger stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?