HONDA CB600

599cc Petrol Class 2

#3291 of 5426 overall #561 of 921 HONDAs #155 of 205 naked bikes

81.4%

first-time pass rate

10.6%

failed outright

22,366

median miles at test

10.8k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CB600's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.3 points since 2005, 90.5% to 83.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB600 passes first time 88.4% of the time; by 50k that's 74.6%.

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 CB600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	538	24.2	1.9×
brakes	453	20.4	0.8×
lighting and signalling	249	11.2	0.4×
suspension	211	9.5	2.3×
structure and attachments	178	8	1.8×
steering and suspension	172	7.7	0.4×
tyres	140	6.3	1.6×
tyres and wheels	135	6.1	0.5×
steering	86	3.9	1.7×
drive system	58	2.6	0.6×

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 CB600 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA CB500, TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE, HONDA CB600 HORNET).

HONDA CB500 83.3% pass · 105k tests TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE 87.7% pass · 37.7k tests HONDA CB600 HORNET 78.6% pass · 26.4k tests TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE R 87.7% pass · 20.6k 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 CB600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (89.4% pass). Weakest: 1998 (76.4%).

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 CB600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB600 reliable?

The HONDA CB600 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.4% of its 10,847 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3291 of 5426 models.

What does a CB600 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 24% of all defects recorded against failed CB600 tests.

What is the best year of CB600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (89.4%) and 1998 worst (76.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB600 last?

The median CB600 shows 22,366 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 74.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.