HONDA BLACKBIRD

1137cc Petrol Class 2

#1910 of 5426 overall #248 of 921 HONDAs #1155 of 2787 other bikes

87.0%

first-time pass rate

6.7%

failed outright

27,819

median miles at test

2,242

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The BLACKBIRD's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.1 points since 2006, 87.8% to 86.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BLACKBIRD passes first time 90.1% of the time; by 50k that's 84.5%.

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 BLACKBIRD

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	75	31.1	0.6×
steering and suspension	38	15.8	0.5×
tyres and wheels	35	14.5	0.7×
lighting and signalling	32	13.3	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	13	5.4	0.3×
drive system	12	5	0.6×
tyres	11	4.6	0.5×
suspension	11	4.6	0.6×
reg plates and vin	8	3.3	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	6	2.5	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 BLACKBIRD beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 BLACKBIRD.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (91.4% pass). Weakest: 1999 (83.6%).

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 BLACKBIRD FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA BLACKBIRD reliable?

The HONDA BLACKBIRD is more reliable than average for its class: 87.0% of its 2,242 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1910 of 5426 models.

What does a BLACKBIRD fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 31% of all defects recorded against failed BLACKBIRD tests.

What is the best year of BLACKBIRD to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (91.4%) and 1999 worst (83.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BLACKBIRD last?

The median BLACKBIRD shows 27,819 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 84.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.