HONDA CB 1000 RA-B

998cc Petrol Class 2

#1639 of 5426 overall #215 of 921 HONDAs #998 of 2787 other bikes

87.9%

first-time pass rate

6.5%

failed outright

11,450

median miles at test

1,245

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2014–2025

The CB 1000 RA-B's first-time pass rate has risen 2.3 points since 2014, 90.3% to 92.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage CB 1000 RA-B passes first time 92.0% of the time; by 30k that's 73.5%.

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-B

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	31	23.5	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	29	22	1.3×
suspension	14	10.6	1.2×
structure and attachments	14	10.6	1.5×
tyres	13	9.8	1.4×
lighting and signalling	11	8.3	0.2×
tyres and wheels	8	6.1	0.3×
steering and suspension	5	3.8	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	5	3.8	0.5×
Identification of the vehicle	2	1.5	0.7×

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-B 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-B.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (89.4% pass). Weakest: 2012 (85.5%).

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-B FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 1000 RA-B reliable?

The HONDA CB 1000 RA-B is more reliable than average for its class: 87.9% of its 1,245 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1639 of 5426 models.

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

brakes — 23% of all defects recorded against failed CB 1000 RA-B tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (89.4%) and 2012 worst (85.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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

The median CB 1000 RA-B shows 11,450 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 73.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.