HONDA CB72

250cc Petrol Class 2

#433 of 5426 overall #51 of 921 HONDAs #21 of 205 naked bikes

92.2%

first-time pass rate

2.8%

failed outright

20,559

median miles at test

704

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The CB72's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.9 points since 2006, 97.4% to 89.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB72's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB72 passes first time 93.0% of the time; by 40k that's 88.9%.

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 CB72

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	11	22	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	8	16	1.3×
body and structure	6	12	1.2×
steering and suspension	6	12	0.2×
tyres and wheels	5	10	0.3×
brakes	5	10	0.1×
lamps and reflectors	5	10	0.2×
drive system	4	8	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 CB72 beats 2 of its 2 closest rivals (HONDA CB250, HONDA CB250 N).

HONDA CB250 79.9% pass · 17.3k tests HONDA CB250 N 76.2% pass · 9,530 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 CB72.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1967 (97.6% pass). Weakest: 1966 (89.9%).

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 CB72 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB72 reliable?

The HONDA CB72 is more reliable than average for its class: 92.2% of its 704 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #433 of 5426 models.

What does a CB72 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 22% of all defects recorded against failed CB72 tests.

What is the best year of CB72 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1967-registered examples do best (97.6%) and 1966 worst (89.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB72 last?

The median CB72 shows 20,559 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 88.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.