Honda CB 900-1000cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CB 900-1000cc motorcycles pass the MOT 91.65% of the time, measured across 1,557 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.37% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Honda CB, 900-1000cc.

Better than average: 4.8 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 91.65% 1,427 of 1,557

Fixed at the station 4.37% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 11,481 miles

Average age at test 8 years old

Engine 998cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Honda CB 900-1000cc adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

Start with missing - it accounts for 62.9% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working and does not conform to the specified requirements, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (11.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 11,481 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test	Pass rate	Tests
3-5 years	89.17%	120
6-10 years	92.23%	1,339
11-15 years	86.75%	83

Why the Honda CB 900-1000cc fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

#	Item	Of failures	Tests
1	Missing	62.9%	39
2	Not working	30.6%	19
3	Does not conform to the specified requirements	29%	18
4	Too low	21%	13
5	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	17.7%	11
6	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	14.5%	9
7	Less than 1.0 mm thick	9.7%	6
8	Obviously incorrectly positioned	9.7%	6
9	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	8.1%	5
10	Too high	6.5%	4

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

#	Item	Of all tests	Tests
1	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	11.4%	178
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	6.4%	100
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.8%	59
4	Excessively loose	2.4%	38
5	Tread not clearly visible	1.5%	23
6	Has a serious fluid leak	0.8%	12
7	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	0.6%	10
8	Excessively binding	0.6%	9
9	Inscription illegible	0.4%	7
10	Excessively stiff or notchy	0.4%	6

Honda CB 900-1000cc for sale

No Honda CB 900-1000cc in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda CB 900-1000cc Used Honda All Honda Honda MOT statistics Check a specific bike by plate

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Triumph TIGER · 969cc	16,144	91.27%	22,934
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	15,691	94.77%	28,205
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Honda CB 900-1000cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CB 900-1000cc?+

91.65% of Honda CB 900-1000cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 1,557 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CB 900-1000cc?+

Missing, which appears in 62.9% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Honda CB 900-1000cc get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 86.75%, against 89.17% for examples 3-5 years old.

Where does this data come from?+

From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.

Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+

Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.