Honda VFR800A MOT pass rate and common failures
Honda VFR800A motorcycles pass the MOT 84.75% of the time, measured across 682 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.99% 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 28.6% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
- Age matters here: 88.71% of 11-15 year old examples pass, against 83.75% at 16+ years - a gap of 5 points.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (7.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 30,315 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 | 88.71% | 124 | |
| 16+ years | 83.75% | 554 |
Why the Honda VFR800A 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 | 28.6% | 20 | |
| 2 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 25.7% | 18 | |
| 3 | Has a serious fluid leak | 24.3% | 17 | |
| 4 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 17.1% | 12 | |
| 5 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 12.9% | 9 | |
| 6 | Remains on when the brakes are released | 10% | 7 | |
| 7 | Excessively binding | 8.6% | 6 | |
| 8 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 8.6% | 6 | |
| 9 | The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25% | 8.6% | 6 | |
| 10 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 7.1% | 5 |
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 | 7.5% | 51 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 5.1% | 35 | |
| 3 | Has a serious fluid leak | 4.8% | 33 | |
| 4 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 4% | 27 | |
| 5 | Excessively loose | 2.5% | 17 | |
| 6 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 2.5% | 17 | |
| 7 | Excessively binding | 2.2% | 15 | |
| 8 | Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied | 2.2% | 15 | |
| 9 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.1% | 14 | |
| 10 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.8% | 12 |
Honda VFR800A for sale
No Honda VFR800A 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