HONDA CB 900 F-5

919cc Petrol Class 2

#2411 of 5426 overall #351 of 921 HONDAs #1507 of 2787 other bikes

85.3%

first-time pass rate

6.5%

failed outright

15,230

median miles at test

1,673

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CB 900 F-5's first-time pass rate has risen 2.7 points since 2008, 86.0% to 88.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB 900 F-5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB 900 F-5 passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 40k that's 71.0%.

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 900 F-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	42	21.9	0.5×
lighting and signalling	35	18.2	0.4×
suspension	23	12	1.6×
lamps and reflectors	22	11.5	0.6×
tyres and wheels	21	10.9	0.5×
steering and suspension	18	9.4	0.3×
tyres	12	6.2	0.9×
structure and attachments	9	4.7	0.7×
reg plates and vin	6	3.1	0.5×
drive system	4	2.1	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 900 F-5 beats 1 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 900 F-5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (90.0% pass). Weakest: 2005 (84.7%).

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 900 F-5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 900 F-5 reliable?

The HONDA CB 900 F-5 is about average for its class: 85.3% of its 1,673 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2411 of 5426 models.

What does a CB 900 F-5 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed CB 900 F-5 tests.

What is the best year of CB 900 F-5 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (90.0%) and 2005 worst (84.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB 900 F-5 last?

The median CB 900 F-5 shows 15,230 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 71.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.