Honda CRF 988-1100cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CRF 988-1100cc motorcycles pass the MOT 94.67% of the time, measured across 3,774 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.04% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Honda CRF, 988-1100cc.

Better than average: 7.8 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 94.67% 3,573 of 3,774
Fixed at the station 2.04% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 17,406 miles
Average age at test 7.33 years old
Engine 998cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Honda CRF 988-1100cc adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with less than 1.0 mm thick - it accounts for 23.4% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check has excessive play and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is less than 1.0 mm thick (5.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 17,406 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 95.33% 492
6-10 years 94.58% 3,282

Why the Honda CRF 988-1100cc 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 Less than 1.0 mm thick 23.4% 29
2 Has excessive play 19.4% 24
3 Has a serious fluid leak 16.1% 20
4 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 15.3% 19
5 Excessively loose 12.1% 15
6 Missing 10.5% 13
7 Grip insecure to handlebar 9.7% 12
8 Too high 8.9% 11
9 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 7.3% 9
10 Not working 6.5% 8

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 Less than 1.0 mm thick 5.5% 207
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 4.8% 180
3 Excessively loose 2.6% 100
4 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 2.6% 99
5 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 1.5% 57
6 Excessively binding 1.3% 49
7 Worn to excess 1% 38
8 Has a serious fluid leak 1% 36
9 Tread not clearly visible 0.9% 35
10 Has excessive play 0.7% 27

Honda CRF 988-1100cc for sale

No Honda CRF 988-1100cc 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
Triumph TIGER · 969cc 16,144 91.27% 22,934
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc 15,691 94.77% 28,205
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc 12,456 90.8% 12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc 9,796 91.92% 40,594
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 CRF 988-1100cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CRF 988-1100cc?+
94.67% of Honda CRF 988-1100cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 3,774 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CRF 988-1100cc?+
Less than 1.0 mm thick, which appears in 23.4% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Honda CRF 988-1100cc get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 94.58%, against 95.33% 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.
Top