Honda Cb 500 Xa-d MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 2,111 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 11.6%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Cb 500 Xa-d MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Cb 500 Xa-d is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,111 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 2 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.4% and a failure rate of 11.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Cb 500 Xa-d earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Cb 500 Xa-d presents for MOT with approximately 18,269 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2014 models achieve the highest pass rate at 92.1%, while 2013 models have the lowest at 88.3%. This 3.8 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Cb 500 Xa-d is Motorcycle brakes, affecting 6.9% 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 tyres at 3.0%. 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 Xa-d. 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 Xa-d ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 19% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 5 (15.6% 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 | 6.9% | 146 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Tyres | 3.0% | 64 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Suspension | 2.7% | 58 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 2.7% | 56 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 2.5% | 53 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 1.9% | 40 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Steering | 1.8% | 38 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 1.6% | 33 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 1.2% | 25 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Drive System | 0.9% | 20 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.3% | 7 |
| 12 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.3% | 6 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Wheels | 0.2% | 4 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.2% | 4 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.1% | 3 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 18,269 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 | 3.79 | 6.9% | 146 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 1.66 | 3.0% | 64 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 1.50 | 2.7% | 58 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.45 | 2.7% | 56 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 1.37 | 2.5% | 53 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 1.04 | 1.9% | 40 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.99 | 1.8% | 38 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 0.86 | 1.6% | 33 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 0.65 | 1.2% | 25 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.52 | 0.9% | 20 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.18 | 0.3% | 7 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.16 | 0.3% | 6 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 0.10 | 0.2% | 4 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.10 | 0.2% | 4 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.08 | 0.1% | 3 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Cb 500 Xa-d has 18,269 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 Xa-d has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.35% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Cb 500 Xa-d MOT Data
The Honda Cb 500 Xa-d is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,111 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 2 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.4% and a failure rate of 11.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Cb 500 Xa-d 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 tyres 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 Xa-d is likely to perform.
Motorcycle brakes — 6.9% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 6.9% of MOT failures on the Honda Cb 500 Xa-d. 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 tyres — 3.0% of failures
Motorcycle tyres issues account for 3.0% of MOT failures on the Honda Cb 500 Xa-d. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Motorcycle suspension — 2.7% of failures
Motorcycle suspension issues account for 2.7% of MOT failures on the Honda Cb 500 Xa-d. 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 Xa-d?
Based on 2,111 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Cb 500 Xa-d has an overall pass rate of 88.4% (11.6% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Cb 500 Xa-d?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Cb 500 Xa-d fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle brakes (6.9%), 2. Motorcycle tyres (3.0%), 3. Motorcycle suspension (2.7%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Cb 500 Xa-d reliable?
With a 11.6% MOT failure rate, the Cb 500 Xa-d is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Cb 500 Xa-d?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle brakes (6.9%); Motorcycle tyres (3.0%); 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.