HONDA CB1000

998cc Petrol Class 2

#2515 of 5426 overall #372 of 921 HONDAs #115 of 205 naked bikes

84.9%

first-time pass rate

7.4%

failed outright

19,270

median miles at test

7,748

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The CB1000's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (85.9% → 85.7%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB1000's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB1000 passes first time 87.8% of the time; by 50k that's 82.0%.

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 CB1000

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	258	24.6	0.6×
lighting and signalling	213	20.3	0.5×
steering and suspension	155	14.8	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	127	12.1	0.8×
tyres and wheels	103	9.8	0.6×
structure and attachments	45	4.3	0.7×
tyres	43	4.1	0.7×
reg plates and vin	43	4.1	0.8×
suspension	40	3.8	0.6×
Identification of the vehicle	23	2.2	1.3×

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 CB1000 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE, APRILIA TUONO, HONDA CB1300).

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 85.6% pass · 74.6k tests APRILIA TUONO 88.4% pass · 34.7k tests HONDA CB1300 89.3% pass · 25.9k tests TRIUMPH TRIDENT 85.0% pass · 23.9k 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 CB1000.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (96.6% pass). Weakest: 1983 (77.2%).

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 CB1000 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB1000 reliable?

The HONDA CB1000 is about average for its class: 84.9% of its 7,748 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2515 of 5426 models.

What does a CB1000 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 25% of all defects recorded against failed CB1000 tests.

What is the best year of CB1000 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (96.6%) and 1983 worst (77.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB1000 last?

The median CB1000 shows 19,270 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.