HONDA BROS

400cc Petrol Class 2

#4224 of 5426 overall #804 of 921 HONDAs #2625 of 2787 other bikes

75.7%

first-time pass rate

15.8%

failed outright

39,034

median miles at test

3,364

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The BROS's first-time pass rate has risen 12.4 points since 2005, 80.2% to 92.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BROS passes first time 73.6% of the time; by 50k that's 77.8%.

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 BROS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	370	30.4	1.7×
brakes	284	23.3	1.6×
steering and suspension	234	19.2	1.8×
tyres and wheels	111	9.1	1.4×
drive system	70	5.8	2.6×
fuel and exhaust	36	3	1.3×
driving controls	33	2.7	4.2×
lamps and reflectors	28	2.3	0.4×
body and structure	26	2.1	1.2×
reg plates and vin	25	2.1	1.0×

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 BROS beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, SUZUKI GS500, SUZUKI AN400).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k 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 BROS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (89.2% pass). Weakest: 1991 (70.1%).

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 BROS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA BROS reliable?

The HONDA BROS is less reliable than average for its class: 75.7% of its 3,364 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4224 of 5426 models.

What does a BROS fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 30% of all defects recorded against failed BROS tests.

What is the best year of BROS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (89.2%) and 1991 worst (70.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BROS last?

The median BROS shows 39,034 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.