Honda CB1000 MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CB1000 motorcycles pass the MOT 85.75% of the time, measured across 351 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.69% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 1.1 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 85.75% 301 of 351

Fixed at the station 7.69% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 26,281 miles

Average age at test 19.66 years old

Engine 998cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Honda CB1000 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with not working - it accounts for 52.2% of failed tests on this model.
Then check missing and too high, 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 (10.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 26,281 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
11-15 years	84.29%		140
16+ years	85.42%		192

Why the Honda CB1000 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	Not working	52.2%	12
2	Missing	26.1%	6
3	Too high	21.7%	5
4	Seriously damaged	17.4%	4
5	Too low	17.4%	4
6	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	13%	3
7	Has a serious fluid leak	13%	3
8	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	13%	3
9	Faulty	8.7%	2
10	Less than 1.0 mm thick	8.7%	2

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	10.8%	38
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	5.7%	20
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.7%	13
4	Has a serious fluid leak	3.1%	11
5	Excessively loose	2.3%	8
6	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2%	7
7	Excessively stiff or notchy	1.7%	6
8	Excessively tight	1.4%	5
9	Excessively binding	1.1%	4
10	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	1.1%	4

Honda CB1000 for sale

No Honda CB1000 in stock at the moment - 73 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda CB1000 Used Honda All Honda Honda MOT statistics

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
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	9,521	94.43%	28,830
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 CB1000 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CB1000?+

85.75% of Honda CB1000 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 351 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CB1000?+

Not working, which appears in 52.2% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Honda CB1000 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 85.42%, against 84.29% for examples 11-15 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.