HONDA 500

499cc Petrol Class 2

#4230 of 5426 overall #808 of 921 HONDAs #2628 of 2787 other bikes

75.6%

first-time pass rate

17.0%

failed outright

36,389

median miles at test

352

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate by mileage

how the 500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage 500 passes first time 80.3% of the time; by 40k that's 62.8%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a 500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
brakes	37	26.4
steering and suspension	23	16.4
lighting and signalling	20	14.3
tyres and wheels	13	9.3
structure and attachments	9	6.4
drive system	9	6.4
fuel and exhaust	9	6.4
suspension	8	5.7
body and structure	6	4.3
lamps and reflectors	6	4.3

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the 500 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the 500.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1994 (74.4% pass). Weakest: 1995 (64.8%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.