HONDA C90 CUB

85cc Petrol Class 1

#4044 of 5426 overall #773 of 921 HONDAs #177 of 734 commuter bikes

77.1%

first-time pass rate

12.9%

failed outright

15,917

median miles at test

511

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2014

The C90 CUB's first-time pass rate has risen 5.6 points since 2006, 72.5% to 78.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the C90 CUB's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage C90 CUB passes first time 84.2% of the time; by 30k that's 63.8%.

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 C90 CUB

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	61	29.2	1.5×
steering and suspension	43	20.6	1.9×
brakes	36	17.2	1.0×
tyres and wheels	27	12.9	2.4×
drive system	16	7.7	3.8×
body and structure	10	4.8	3.3×
lamps and reflectors	5	2.4	0.4×
reg plates and vin	4	1.9	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	4	1.9	1.0×
Identification of the vehicle	3	1.4	2.5×

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 C90 CUB beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA C90, HONDA SCV100, YAMAHA YQ100).

HONDA C90 79.3% pass · 92.8k tests HONDA SCV100 70.7% pass · 31.3k tests YAMAHA YQ100 64.7% pass · 7,747 tests HONDA NHX 110 WH-8 80.4% pass · 7,740 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 C90 CUB.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (82.1% pass). Weakest: 1995 (72.6%).

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 C90 CUB FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA C90 CUB reliable?

The HONDA C90 CUB is more reliable than average for its class: 77.1% of its 511 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4044 of 5426 models.

What does a C90 CUB fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed C90 CUB tests.

What is the best year of C90 CUB to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (82.1%) and 1995 worst (72.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a C90 CUB last?

The median C90 CUB shows 15,917 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 63.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.