Honda CBR 500 RA-D MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CBR 500 RA-D motorcycles pass the MOT 83.93% of the time, measured across 224 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.46% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.9 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 83.93% 188 of 224

Fixed at the station 4.46% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 23,037 miles

Average age at test 12.02 years old

Engine 471cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Honda CBR 500 RA-D adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with has a serious fluid leak - it accounts for 30.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working and less than 1.0 mm thick, 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 (8.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 23,037 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	83.93%		224

Why the Honda CBR 500 RA-D 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	Has a serious fluid leak	30.8%	8
2	Not working	30.8%	8
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	26.9%	7
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	23.1%	6
5	Insecure	19.2%	5
6	Below minimum mark	15.4%	4
7	Excessively loose	11.5%	3
8	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	11.5%	3
9	Excessively stiff or notchy	7.7%	2
10	Fouling on the fuel tank or bodywork on full lock	7.7%	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	8.5%	19
2	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	6.3%	14
3	Excessively stiff or notchy	5.4%	12
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	5.4%	12
5	Excessively loose	4.9%	11
6	Has a serious fluid leak	4.5%	10
7	Worn to excess	4.5%	10
8	Less than 1.0 mm thick	4%	9
9	Significantly and obviously worn	2.7%	6
10	Sprocket worn to excess	2.2%	5

Honda CBR 500 RA-D for sale

No Honda CBR 500 RA-D in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda CBR 500 RA-D 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
Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc	5,400	89.76%	19,444
Suzuki GSF600 · 600cc	4,890	80%	29,308
Honda CBR600F · 599cc	4,710	85.56%	30,651
Suzuki GSXR600 · 599cc	3,831	81.83%	25,077
Honda CBR 471-650cc · 471-650cc	3,603	86.48%	17,329
Yamaha FZS600 · 599cc	3,548	84.02%	32,611

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

Honda CBR 500 RA-D MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CBR 500 RA-D?+

83.93% of Honda CBR 500 RA-D MOT tests end in a pass, based on 224 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CBR 500 RA-D?+

Has a serious fluid leak, which appears in 30.8% 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.