Honda VFR800 MOT pass rate and common failures
Honda VFR800 motorcycles pass the MOT 83.94% of the time, measured across 2,098 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with not working - it accounts for 25% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check has a serious fluid leak and tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is less than 1.0 mm thick (6.7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 33,780 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 | 87.72% | 57 | |
| 16+ years | 83.81% | 2,020 |
Why the Honda VFR800 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 | 25% | 58 | |
| 2 | Has a serious fluid leak | 24.6% | 57 | |
| 3 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 18.5% | 43 | |
| 4 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 12.5% | 29 | |
| 5 | Excessively binding | 9.1% | 21 | |
| 6 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 8.6% | 20 | |
| 7 | Missing | 8.2% | 19 | |
| 8 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 7.8% | 18 | |
| 9 | The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25% | 6.9% | 16 | |
| 10 | Too high | 6.5% | 15 |
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 | 6.7% | 140 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 5.6% | 118 | |
| 3 | Has a serious fluid leak | 4.8% | 101 | |
| 4 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 4.4% | 92 | |
| 5 | Excessively binding | 4.2% | 89 | |
| 6 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 2.6% | 55 | |
| 7 | Excessively loose | 2.6% | 54 | |
| 8 | Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied | 2.3% | 48 | |
| 9 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.2% | 47 | |
| 10 | Has a major leak of exhaust gases | 2.2% | 46 |
Honda VFR800 for sale
No Honda VFR800 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