HONDA CB600SF

599cc Petrol Class 2

#3181 of 5426 overall #527 of 921 HONDAs #143 of 205 naked bikes

82.0%

first-time pass rate

10.4%

failed outright

16,370

median miles at test

11.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2020

The CB600SF's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.8 points since 2005, 88.4% to 82.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB600SF's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB600SF passes first time 90.2% of the time; by 50k that's 69.7%.

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 CB600SF

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	706	27.7	1.0×
brakes	580	22.8	0.9×
steering and suspension	419	16.4	0.9×
tyres and wheels	338	13.3	1.3×
drive system	152	6	1.5×
reg plates and vin	102	4	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	101	4	0.4×
body and structure	52	2	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	50	2	0.5×
structure and attachments	48	1.9	0.3×

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 CB600SF 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 CB600SF.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (89.8% pass). Weakest: 1998 (75.1%).

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 CB600SF FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB600SF reliable?

The HONDA CB600SF is less reliable than average for its class: 82.0% of its 11,688 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3181 of 5426 models.

What does a CB600SF fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CB600SF tests.

What is the best year of CB600SF to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (89.8%) and 1998 worst (75.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB600SF last?

The median CB600SF shows 16,370 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 69.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.