HONDA CB 600 FA-A

599cc Petrol Class 2

#988 of 5426 overall #113 of 921 HONDAs #605 of 2787 other bikes

89.9%

first-time pass rate

6.1%

failed outright

12,832

median miles at test

955

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CB 600 FA-A's first-time pass rate has risen 3.5 points since 2013, 87.1% to 90.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage CB 600 FA-A passes first time 94.0% of the time; by 40k 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 600 FA-A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	16	19	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	15	17.9	0.8×
lighting and signalling	12	14.3	0.3×
tyres and wheels	10	11.9	0.5×
steering and suspension	10	11.9	0.3×
audible warning (Horn)	6	7.1	3.4×
suspension	5	6	0.6×
structure and attachments	4	4.8	0.6×
reg plates and vin	3	3.6	0.4×
steering	3	3.6	0.8×

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-A 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-A.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (90.9% pass). Weakest: 2011 (87.2%).

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 600 FA-A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 600 FA-A reliable?

The HONDA CB 600 FA-A is more reliable than average for its class: 89.9% of its 955 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #988 of 5426 models.

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

brakes — 19% of all defects recorded against failed CB 600 FA-A tests.

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

The median CB 600 FA-A shows 12,832 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 73.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.