Honda Cbr MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 66,876 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 16.1%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Cbr MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Cbr is a moderately popular vehicle in the UK, with 66,876 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 34 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 83.9% and a failure rate of 16.1%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Cbr earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Cbr presents for MOT with approximately 15,603 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2020 models achieve the highest pass rate at 95.6%, while 1988 models have the lowest at 62.4%. This 33.2 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Cbr is Motorcycle brakes, affecting 9.2% 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 7.1%. Motorcycle structure and attachments rounds out the top three at 6.4%. 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
Based on MOT data, 2019 models have the highest pass rate at 94.4%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2014 to 2019
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 11 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Honda Cbr vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 28 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Honda Cbr. 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 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Honda Cbr ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 6% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 19 (23.1% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* 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 | 9.7% | 6,473 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 7.1% | 4,726 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 6.4% | 4,305 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Tyres | 3.7% | 2,450 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 3.1% | 2,054 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Steering | 2.8% | 1,850 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Suspension | 2.5% | 1,683 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 2.5% | 1,639 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 2.0% | 1,313 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Drive System | 1.3% | 837 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 0.9% | 612 |
| 12 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.9% | 574 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 0.5% | 303 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.4% | 245 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.3% | 222 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 15,603 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 | 6.20 | 9.7% | 6,473 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 4.53 | 7.1% | 4,726 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 4.13 | 6.4% | 4,305 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 2.35 | 3.7% | 2,450 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 1.97 | 3.1% | 2,054 |
| Motorcycle steering | 1.77 | 2.8% | 1,850 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 1.61 | 2.5% | 1,683 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 1.57 | 2.5% | 1,639 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 1.26 | 2.0% | 1,313 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.80 | 1.3% | 837 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.59 | 0.9% | 612 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.55 | 0.9% | 574 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.29 | 0.5% | 303 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.23 | 0.4% | 245 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.21 | 0.3% | 222 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Cbr has 15,603 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 Cbr has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 10.32% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Cbr MOT Data
The Honda Cbr is a moderately popular vehicle in the UK, with 66,876 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 34 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 83.9% and a failure rate of 16.1%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Cbr 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 Cbr is likely to perform.
Motorcycle brakes — 9.2% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 9.2% of MOT failures on the Honda Cbr. 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 — 7.1% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 7.1% of MOT failures on the Honda Cbr. 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 structure and attachments — 6.4% of failures
Motorcycle structure and attachments issues account for 6.4% of MOT failures on the Honda Cbr. Motorcycle structure and attachments issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Cbr?
Based on 66,876 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Cbr has an overall pass rate of 83.9% (16.1% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Cbr?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Cbr fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle brakes (9.2%), 2. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (7.1%), 3. Motorcycle structure and attachments (6.4%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Cbr reliable?
With a 16.1% MOT failure rate, the Cbr is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Cbr?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle brakes (9.2%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (7.1%); Motorcycle structure and attachments (6.4%). 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.