HONDA CB 1000 RA-A

998cc Petrol Class 2

#1604 of 5426 overall #209 of 921 HONDAs #976 of 2787 other bikes

88.0%

first-time pass rate

5.6%

failed outright

13,330

median miles at test

1,378

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2013–2025

The CB 1000 RA-A's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2013 (88.6% → 89.3%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB 1000 RA-A's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB 1000 RA-A passes first time 89.9% of the time; by 30k that's 83.5%.

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 CB 1000 RA-A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	38	28.1	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	29	21.5	1.1×
structure and attachments	15	11.1	1.3×
lighting and signalling	13	9.6	0.2×
suspension	11	8.1	1.0×
tyres	7	5.2	0.6×
Identification of the vehicle	6	4.4	1.9×
steering and suspension	6	4.4	0.1×
tyres and wheels	5	3.7	0.2×
drive system	5	3.7	0.3×

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 CB 1000 RA-A 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 CB 1000 RA-A.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (91.9% pass). Weakest: 2011 (86.2%).

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 CB 1000 RA-A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 1000 RA-A reliable?

The HONDA CB 1000 RA-A is more reliable than average for its class: 88.0% of its 1,378 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1604 of 5426 models.

What does a CB 1000 RA-A fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CB 1000 RA-A tests.

What is the best year of CB 1000 RA-A to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (91.9%) and 2011 worst (86.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB 1000 RA-A last?

The median CB 1000 RA-A shows 13,330 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 83.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.