Honda Cb 500 F-a MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,887 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 11.9%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Cb 500 F-a MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Cb 500 F-a is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,887 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 1 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.1% and a failure rate of 11.9%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Cb 500 F-a earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Cb 500 F-a presents for MOT with approximately 19,649 miles on the clock. The 2013 manufacture year performs best with a 88.1% pass rate.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Cb 500 F-a is Motorcycle brakes, affecting 7.5% of all tests. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. The second most common issue is Motorcycle lamps and reflectors at 3.8%. Motorcycle suspension rounds out the top three at 2.7%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Honda Cb 500 F-a. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 11 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Honda Cb 500 F-a ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 13% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 9 (14.6% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Brakes | 7.5% | 141 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.8% | 71 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Suspension | 2.7% | 51 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Tyres | 2.6% | 49 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 2.3% | 44 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 1.9% | 35 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Steering | 1.8% | 34 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Drive System | 1.1% | 20 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 0.9% | 17 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 0.8% | 16 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.5% | 9 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.3% | 5 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 0.3% | 5 |
| 14 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.2% | 4 |
| 15 | Non-component Advisories | 0.2% | 3 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 19,649 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle brakes | 3.80 | 7.5% | 141 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.91 | 3.8% | 71 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 1.38 | 2.7% | 51 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 1.32 | 2.6% | 49 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 1.19 | 2.3% | 44 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 0.94 | 1.9% | 35 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.92 | 1.8% | 34 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.54 | 1.1% | 20 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 0.46 | 0.9% | 17 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 0.43 | 0.8% | 16 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.24 | 0.5% | 9 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.13 | 0.3% | 5 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.13 | 0.3% | 5 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.11 | 0.2% | 4 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.08 | 0.2% | 3 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Cb 500 F-a has 19,649 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Honda Cb 500 F-a has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.06% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Cb 500 F-a MOT Data
The Honda Cb 500 F-a is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,887 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 1 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.1% and a failure rate of 11.9%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Cb 500 F-a owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle brakes and motorcycle lamps and reflectors for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Cb 500 F-a is likely to perform.
Motorcycle brakes — 7.5% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 7.5% of MOT failures on the Honda Cb 500 F-a. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 3.8% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 3.8% of MOT failures on the Honda Cb 500 F-a. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Motorcycle suspension — 2.7% of failures
Motorcycle suspension issues account for 2.7% of MOT failures on the Honda Cb 500 F-a. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Cb 500 F-a?
Based on 1,887 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Cb 500 F-a has an overall pass rate of 88.1% (11.9% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Cb 500 F-a?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Cb 500 F-a fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle brakes (7.5%), 2. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (3.8%), 3. Motorcycle suspension (2.7%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Cb 500 F-a reliable?
With a 11.9% MOT failure rate, the Cb 500 F-a is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Cb 500 F-a?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle brakes (7.5%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (3.8%); Motorcycle suspension (2.7%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.