HONDA CB900

901cc Petrol Class 2

#3073 of 5426 overall #502 of 921 HONDAs #141 of 205 naked bikes

82.5%

first-time pass rate

9.6%

failed outright

29,648

median miles at test

7,175

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CB900's first-time pass rate has risen 3.3 points since 2005, 82.7% to 86.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB900's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB900 passes first time 86.2% of the time; by 50k that's 79.3%.

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 CB900

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	361	26.1	0.8×
lighting and signalling	240	17.4	0.6×
steering and suspension	193	14	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	187	13.5	1.2×
suspension	99	7.2	1.6×
tyres and wheels	82	5.9	0.5×
structure and attachments	76	5.5	1.2×
tyres	63	4.6	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	48	3.5	0.8×
drive system	33	2.4	0.4×

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 CB900 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE, TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE, APRILIA TUONO).

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 85.6% pass · 74.6k tests TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE 87.7% pass · 37.7k tests APRILIA TUONO 88.4% pass · 34.7k 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 CB900.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (98.2% pass). Weakest: 1981 (79.3%).

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 CB900 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB900 reliable?

The HONDA CB900 is less reliable than average for its class: 82.5% of its 7,175 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3073 of 5426 models.

What does a CB900 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed CB900 tests.

What is the best year of CB900 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (98.2%) and 1981 worst (79.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB900 last?

The median CB900 shows 29,648 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.