HONDA CB 600 FA-8

599cc Petrol Class 2

#2306 of 5426 overall #327 of 921 HONDAs #1441 of 2787 other bikes

85.7%

first-time pass rate

8.9%

failed outright

14,378

median miles at test

4,083

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The CB 600 FA-8's first-time pass rate has risen 2.4 points since 2011, 85.2% to 87.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB 600 FA-8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB 600 FA-8 passes first time 92.0% of the time; by 50k that's 76.8%.

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 CB 600 FA-8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	175	27.4	0.7×
lighting and signalling	90	14.1	0.4×
steering and suspension	86	13.5	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	86	13.5	0.9×
tyres and wheels	52	8.2	0.5×
suspension	43	6.7	1.2×
tyres	33	5.2	1.0×
drive system	27	4.2	0.7×
steering	26	4.1	1.4×
structure and attachments	20	3.1	0.6×

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 600 FA-8 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 600 FA-8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (85.9% pass). Weakest: 2010 (84.6%).

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 600 FA-8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 600 FA-8 reliable?

The HONDA CB 600 FA-8 is about average for its class: 85.7% of its 4,083 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2306 of 5426 models.

What does a CB 600 FA-8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed CB 600 FA-8 tests.

What is the best year of CB 600 FA-8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (85.9%) and 2010 worst (84.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB 600 FA-8 last?

The median CB 600 FA-8 shows 14,378 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.