HONDA CB650

638cc Petrol Class 2

#3513 of 5426 overall #619 of 921 HONDAs #171 of 205 naked bikes

80.3%

first-time pass rate

10.1%

failed outright

30,096

median miles at test

1,393

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2024

The CB650's first-time pass rate has risen 12.1 points since 2006, 78.8% to 90.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB650's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB650 passes first time 82.0% of the time; by 50k that's 76.9%.

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 CB650

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	78	26	1.3×
lighting and signalling	77	25.7	0.9×
brakes	56	18.7	0.7×
tyres and wheels	26	8.7	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	17	5.7	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	13	4.3	0.5×
reg plates and vin	12	4	1.3×
drive system	8	2.7	0.7×
driving controls	7	2.3	2.1×
tyres	6	2	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 CB650 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 CB650.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1979 (84.5% pass). Weakest: 1982 (74.7%).

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 CB650 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB650 reliable?

The HONDA CB650 is less reliable than average for its class: 80.3% of its 1,393 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3513 of 5426 models.

What does a CB650 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 26% of all defects recorded against failed CB650 tests.

What is the best year of CB650 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1979-registered examples do best (84.5%) and 1982 worst (74.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB650 last?

The median CB650 shows 30,096 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.