Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1998 Triumph Trident?

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 1998 Triumph Trident?

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 1998 Triumph Trident?

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 1998 Triumph Trident reliable?

Based on MOT data from 202 vehicles, the 1998 Triumph Trident has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1998 Triumph Trident?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1998 Triumph Trident are: Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (60.8% of vehicles), Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (60.5% of vehicles), Drive chain slightly loose (38.3% 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 1998 Triumph Trident?

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 Trident (1998)

202 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85% first-time pass rate

1998 Triumph Trident

CarHunch analysed 202 real MOT records for the 1998 Triumph Trident. 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 1998 Triumph Trident passes its MOT first time at 85%, which is 5 percentage points above the UK average—a solid result for a bike of this age. However, nearly one in five (18.3%) have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which warrants a careful pre-purchase inspection of brakes, lights, and chassis condition.

These machines are running at just over 22,000 miles on average, which is remarkably low for their age and suggests many are hobby or weekend riders rather than commuters. The typical failure count of 1.79 per test is reasonable, but the high advisory rate of 6.1 indicates that wear and corrosion are common—budget for consumables like tyres, chains, and battery, and always ask the seller for full service history before committing.

We have limited data for the 1998 Triumph Trident — 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

85%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

18.3%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.79

Over 11.9 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

22k

Middle half: 14k–29k

For context

These stats describe 202 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 202 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 60.8%

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm · …

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

Lighting 38.3%

Drive chain slightly loose

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

Brake wear 23.2%

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.

Exhaust & emissions 23.2%

Exhaust noisy

Other issues 11.6%

Drive chain worn but not considered excessive

Suspension & steering 10.3%

Nearside Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion · Offside Front shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil

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 1998.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 202 Triumph Trident cars.

Before you buy a 1998 Triumph Trident

Based on MOT data from 202 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 18.3% 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 6,392 Triumph Trident vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 41.2%

2,635

Silver 17.6%

1,122

Green 11.7%

748

Red 8.6%

550

Orange 6.2%

399

White 5.5%

354

Blue 3.2%

203

Maroon 2.9%

184

Purple 1.4%

Yellow 0.9%

Multi-colour 0.5%

Grey 0.3%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1998 Triumph Trident 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.

22,217

typical

13,985

low mileage

29,166

high mileage

Half of all 1998 Triumph Trident vehicles fall between 13,985 and 29,166 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 13,985 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.

✓ 13,985–29,166 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1998 Triumph Tridents sit.

⚠ Over 39,374 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1998 Triumph Trident — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 60% of 1998 Triumph Tridents are still active.

64 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

11.9

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.79

Avg failures per vehicle

6.1

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

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Average reliability — agree?