Honda VFR 748-800cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda VFR 748-800cc motorcycles pass the MOT 92.22% of the time, measured across 2,442 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.54% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Honda VFR, 748-800cc.

Better than average: 5.3 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 92.22% 2,252 of 2,442
Fixed at the station 2.54% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 20,207 miles
Average age at test 11.08 years old
Engine 771cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Honda VFR 748-800cc adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm - it accounts for 20.3% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check less than 1.0 mm thick and not working, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 95.65% of 3-5 year old examples pass, against 88.12% at 16+ years - a gap of 7.5 points.
  • 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 20,207 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 95.65% 391
6-10 years 92.68% 1,543
11-15 years 88.34% 163
16+ years 88.12% 345

Why the Honda VFR 748-800cc 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 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 20.3% 26
2 Less than 1.0 mm thick 14.8% 19
3 Not working 14.8% 19
4 Has a serious fluid leak 11.7% 15
5 Rough when rotated 11.7% 15
6 Has excessive play 10.9% 14
7 Excessively binding 10.2% 13
8 Too low 7.8% 10
9 Excessively loose 7% 9
10 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 5.5% 7

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% 147
2 Less than 1.0 mm thick 5.5% 134
3 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 3.8% 93
4 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.5% 60
5 Excessively loose 2% 48
6 Excessively stiff or notchy 1.8% 45
7 Worn to excess 1.6% 40
8 Excessively binding 1.5% 36
9 Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied 1.5% 36
10 Has a serious fluid leak 1.4% 33

Honda VFR 748-800cc for sale

No Honda VFR 748-800cc 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
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc 12,456 90.8% 12,824
BMW S 1000 · 999cc 8,445 91.96% 15,282
Yamaha YZF R1 · 998cc 6,022 88.01% 23,152
Yamaha MT 800-1000cc · 800-1000cc 5,720 90.98% 16,130
Honda NC · 741cc 5,311 89.53% 22,765

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

Honda VFR 748-800cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda VFR 748-800cc?+
92.22% of Honda VFR 748-800cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 2,442 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda VFR 748-800cc?+
Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, which appears in 20.3% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Honda VFR 748-800cc get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 88.12%, against 95.65% 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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