HONDA CB 650 RA-K

649cc Petrol Class 2

#1400 of 5426 overall #166 of 921 HONDAs #854 of 2787 other bikes

88.6%

first-time pass rate

6.1%

failed outright

7,197

median miles at test

3,619

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2021–2025

The CB 650 RA-K's first-time pass rate has risen 4.3 points since 2021, 85.3% to 89.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB 650 RA-K's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB 650 RA-K passes first time 91.7% of the time; by 30k that's 79.3%.

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 650 RA-K

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	108	27.8	0.5×
suspension	80	20.6	2.7×
structure and attachments	59	15.2	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	52	13.4	0.8×
tyres	38	9.8	1.3×
steering	32	8.2	1.7×
Identification of the vehicle	18	4.6	2.0×
wheels	1	0.3	0.5×

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 650 RA-K 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 650 RA-K.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2019 (88.5% pass). Weakest: 2020 (88.4%).

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 650 RA-K FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 650 RA-K reliable?

The HONDA CB 650 RA-K is more reliable than average for its class: 88.6% of its 3,619 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1400 of 5426 models.

What does a CB 650 RA-K fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CB 650 RA-K tests.

How many miles will a CB 650 RA-K last?

The median CB 650 RA-K shows 7,197 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 79.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.