HONDA CB 1300 SA-5

1284cc Petrol Class 2

#775 of 5426 overall #90 of 921 HONDAs #471 of 2787 other bikes

90.6%

first-time pass rate

5.0%

failed outright

16,110

median miles at test

4,088

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2025

The CB 1300 SA-5's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.3 points since 2008, 94.0% to 90.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB 1300 SA-5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB 1300 SA-5 passes first time 92.2% of the time; by 50k that's 84.2%.

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 1300 SA-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	90	27.6	0.4×
tyres and wheels	52	16	0.6×
lighting and signalling	36	11	0.2×
suspension	33	10.1	0.9×
steering and suspension	33	10.1	0.3×
tyres	33	10.1	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	24	7.4	0.3×
reg plates and vin	10	3.1	0.3×
drive system	9	2.8	0.2×
structure and attachments	6	1.8	0.2×

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 1300 SA-5 beats 3 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 1300 SA-5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (92.0% pass). Weakest: 2005 (89.6%).

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 CB 1300 SA-5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 1300 SA-5 reliable?

The HONDA CB 1300 SA-5 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.6% of its 4,088 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #775 of 5426 models.

What does a CB 1300 SA-5 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CB 1300 SA-5 tests.

What is the best year of CB 1300 SA-5 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (92.0%) and 2005 worst (89.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB 1300 SA-5 last?

The median CB 1300 SA-5 shows 16,110 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 84.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.