Honda CBF 249-286cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CBF 249-286cc motorcycles pass the MOT 92.7% of the time, measured across 274 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.65% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Honda CBF, 249-286cc.

Better than average: 5.8 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 92.7% 254 of 274
Fixed at the station 3.65% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 8,959 miles
Average age at test 6.85 years old
Engine 288cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Honda CBF 249-286cc adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with excessively loose - it accounts for 40% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check missing and excessively stiff or notchy, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 8,959 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 92.86% 98
6-10 years 92.12% 165

Why the Honda CBF 249-286cc 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 Excessively loose 40% 4
2 Missing 30% 3
3 Excessively stiff or notchy 20% 2
4 Less than 1.0 mm thick 20% 2
5 Does not conform to the specified requirements 10% 1
6 Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) 10% 1
7 Excessively deformed 10% 1
8 Fouling on the fuel tank or bodywork on full lock 10% 1
9 Has a serious fluid leak 10% 1
10 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 10% 1

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 6.9% 19
2 Excessively loose 3.3% 9
3 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 3.3% 9
4 Less than 1.0 mm thick 2.2% 6
5 Excessively stiff or notchy 1.8% 5
6 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 1.8% 5
7 Has a serious fluid leak 1.1% 3
8 Has excessive play 1.1% 3
9 Significantly and obviously worn 1.1% 3
10 Worn to excess 1.1% 3

Honda CBF 249-286cc for sale

No Honda CBF 249-286cc in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model Tests Pass rate   Avg mileage
Piaggio VESPA GTS · 240-300cc 4,305 92.15% 9,875
Honda CRF 220-250cc · 220-250cc 2,452 89.76% 7,549
Royal Enfield METEOR 350 · 349cc 2,133 93.95% 4,543
Honda NSS 250-297cc · 250-297cc 1,397 90.34% 17,407
Honda CRF 300 LA-M · 286cc 1,297 88.43% 3,963
BMW G310 · 313cc 1,129 90.79% 7,243

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

Honda CBF 249-286cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CBF 249-286cc?+
92.7% of Honda CBF 249-286cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 274 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CBF 249-286cc?+
Excessively loose, which appears in 40% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Honda CBF 249-286cc get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 92.12%, against 92.86% 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.
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