Honda CB900 MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CB900 motorcycles pass the MOT 86.14% of the time, measured across 635 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.09% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 0.7 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 86.14% 547 of 635

Fixed at the station 7.09% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 30,671 miles

Average age at test 22.5 years old

Engine 918cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Honda CB900 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 53.5% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and too low, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 30,671 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
16+ years	86.21%		631

Why the Honda CB900 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	53.5%	23
2	Does not conform to the specified requirements	20.9%	9
3	Too low	20.9%	9
4	Missing	18.6%	8
5	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	16.3%	7
6	Has excessive play	16.3%	7
7	Too high	16.3%	7
8	Has a serious fluid leak	11.6%	5
9	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	11.6%	5
10	Excessively binding	9.3%	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	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	6%	38
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	5.4%	34
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	3.8%	24
4	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.3%	21
5	Has a serious fluid leak	2.7%	17
6	Excessively loose	2.5%	16
7	Excessively binding	2.2%	14
8	Worn to excess	1.7%	11
9	Has excessive play	1.6%	10
10	Tread not clearly visible	1.3%	8

Honda CB900 for sale

No Honda CB900 in stock at the moment - 73 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda CB900 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 R 1200 · 1,170cc	6,170	95.28%	27,241

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

Honda CB900 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CB900?+

86.14% of Honda CB900 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 635 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CB900?+

Not working, which appears in 53.5% of failed tests on this model.

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.