HONDA AFRICA TWIN

742cc Petrol Class 2

#2639 of 5426 overall #399 of 921 HONDAs #90 of 99 adventure bikes

84.4%

first-time pass rate

9.2%

failed outright

33,949

median miles at test

2,558

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The AFRICA TWIN's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.9 points since 2005, 90.3% to 88.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage AFRICA TWIN passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 50k that's 80.4%.

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 AFRICA TWIN

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	152	35.4	1.0×
lighting and signalling	92	21.4	0.6×
steering and suspension	54	12.6	0.6×
tyres and wheels	41	9.6	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	27	6.3	0.5×
drive system	22	5.1	1.0×
driving controls	12	2.8	2.0×
body and structure	10	2.3	0.7×
structure and attachments	10	2.3	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	9	2.1	0.4×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the AFRICA TWIN beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH TIGER, TRIUMPH TIGER 800, TRIUMPH ADVENTURER).

TRIUMPH TIGER 89.6% pass · 161k tests TRIUMPH TIGER 800 91.6% pass · 6,797 tests TRIUMPH ADVENTURER 85.1% pass · 6,067 tests YAMAHA XT 660 Z TENERE 87.4% pass · 5,654 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 AFRICA TWIN.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (90.3% pass). Weakest: 1995 (72.2%).

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.

HONDA AFRICA TWIN FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA AFRICA TWIN reliable?

The HONDA AFRICA TWIN is about average for its class: 84.4% of its 2,558 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2639 of 5426 models.

What does a AFRICA TWIN fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 35% of all defects recorded against failed AFRICA TWIN tests.

What is the best year of AFRICA TWIN to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (90.3%) and 1995 worst (72.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a AFRICA TWIN last?

The median AFRICA TWIN shows 33,949 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.