HONDA CB 600 FA-B

599cc Petrol Class 2

#3146 of 5426 overall #517 of 921 HONDAs #2001 of 2787 other bikes

82.2%

first-time pass rate

10.0%

failed outright

15,478

median miles at test

1,011

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CB 600 FA-B's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.6 points since 2014, 84.9% to 83.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage CB 600 FA-B passes first time 87.7% of the time; by 40k that's 75.6%.

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-B

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	48	26.7	0.9×
lighting and signalling	23	12.8	0.4×
tyres and wheels	22	12.2	0.8×
structure and attachments	18	10	2.2×
lamps and reflectors	16	8.9	0.8×
tyres	14	7.8	1.9×
steering and suspension	14	7.8	0.4×
drive system	11	6.1	1.2×
suspension	8	4.4	1.1×
steering	6	3.3	1.2×

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 600 FA-B beats 3 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-B.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (84.6% pass). Weakest: 2013 (77.3%).

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-B FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 600 FA-B reliable?

The HONDA CB 600 FA-B is less reliable than average for its class: 82.2% of its 1,011 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3146 of 5426 models.

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

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

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

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (84.6%) and 2013 worst (77.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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

The median CB 600 FA-B shows 15,478 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 75.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.