Honda Shadow MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 4,778 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 19.0%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Shadow MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Shadow is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 4,778 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 28 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 81.0% and a failure rate of 19.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Shadow earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Shadow presents for MOT with approximately 21,661 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2007 models achieve the highest pass rate at 90.3%, while 1989 models have the lowest at 66.0%. This 24.3 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Shadow is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 8.0% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle brakes at 7.4%. Motorcycle tyres and wheels rounds out the top three at 4.6%. 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
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 Lighting And Signalling | 8.9% | 424 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Brakes | 8.1% | 386 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 5.1% | 244 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 5.0% | 237 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 4.0% | 192 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 2.5% | 120 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 1.8% | 88 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 1.7% | 79 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Drive System | 1.5% | 71 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Tyres | 1.3% | 63 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Suspension | 1.0% | 48 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.9% | 42 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.6% | 29 |
| 14 | Brakes | 0.5% | 24 |
| 15 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 0.5% | 22 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 21,661 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 lighting and signalling | 4.10 | 8.9% | 424 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 3.73 | 8.1% | 386 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 2.36 | 5.1% | 244 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 2.29 | 5.0% | 237 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.86 | 4.0% | 192 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 1.16 | 2.5% | 120 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.85 | 1.8% | 88 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.76 | 1.7% | 79 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.69 | 1.5% | 71 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.61 | 1.3% | 63 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.46 | 1.0% | 48 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.41 | 0.9% | 42 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.28 | 0.6% | 29 |
| Brakes | 0.23 | 0.5% | 24 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 0.21 | 0.5% | 22 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Shadow has 21,661 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 Shadow has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 8.77% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Shadow MOT Data
The Honda Shadow is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 4,778 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 28 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 81.0% and a failure rate of 19.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Shadow owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle brakes 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 Shadow is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 8.0% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 8.0% of MOT failures on the Honda Shadow. Motorcycle lighting and signalling 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.
Motorcycle brakes — 7.4% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 7.4% of MOT failures on the Honda Shadow. 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 and wheels — 4.6% of failures
Motorcycle tyres and wheels issues account for 4.6% of MOT failures on the Honda Shadow. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Shadow?
Based on 4,778 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Shadow has an overall pass rate of 81.0% (19.0% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Shadow?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Shadow fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (8.0%), 2. Motorcycle brakes (7.4%), 3. Motorcycle tyres and wheels (4.6%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Shadow reliable?
With a 19.0% MOT failure rate, the Shadow is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Shadow?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (8.0%); Motorcycle brakes (7.4%); Motorcycle tyres and wheels (4.6%). 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.