Honda CRF 449-500cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CRF 449-500cc motorcycles pass the MOT 88.34% of the time, measured across 283 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.59% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Honda CRF, 449-500cc.

About average - within 1.5 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 88.34% 250 of 283
Fixed at the station 4.59% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 2,086 miles
Average age at test 9.72 years old
Engine 451cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Honda CRF 449-500cc 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 65% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check missing 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 (6.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 2,086 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 82.35% 34
6-10 years 89.89% 178
11-15 years 83.72% 43

Why the Honda CRF 449-500cc 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 65% 13
2 Missing 50% 10
3 Does not conform to the specified requirements 30% 6
4 Is unsuitable 15% 3
5 Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls 10% 2
6 Has excessive play 10% 2
7 Less than 1.0 mm thick 10% 2
8 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 10% 2
9 Projected beam image obviously incorrect 10% 2
10 Too high 10% 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 6.4% 18
2 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3.5% 10
3 Has a serious fluid leak 3.2% 9
4 Worn to excess 2.8% 8
5 Has excessive play 2.1% 6
6 Has an excessively worn bush 1.8% 5
7 Sprocket worn to excess 1.8% 5
8 In such a condition that it is seriously weakened 1.4% 4
9 Significantly and obviously worn 1.4% 4
10 Spoke excessively loose 1.4% 4

Honda CRF 449-500cc for sale

No Honda CRF 449-500cc 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
Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc 5,400 89.76% 19,444
Honda CBR 471-650cc · 471-650cc 3,603 86.48% 17,329
Royal Enfield HIMALAYAN · 411cc 2,371 88.49% 8,163
Royal Enfield METEOR 350 · 349cc 2,133 93.95% 4,543
Honda CB500 · 497cc 1,300 84.08% 34,941
Yamaha XV535 · 535cc 1,279 84.28% 20,034

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

Honda CRF 449-500cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CRF 449-500cc?+
88.34% of Honda CRF 449-500cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 283 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CRF 449-500cc?+
Not working, which appears in 65% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Honda CRF 449-500cc get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 83.72%, against 82.35% 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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