HONDA CBF600

600cc Petrol Class 2

#2720 of 5426 overall #413 of 921 HONDAs #1716 of 2787 other bikes

84.1%

first-time pass rate

9.0%

failed outright

17,014

median miles at test

42.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CBF600's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.8 points since 2005, 91.7% to 83.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBF600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBF600 passes first time 91.0% of the time; by 50k that's 77.1%.

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 CBF600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,926	26.9	0.8×
steering and suspension	1,157	16.1	0.7×
lighting and signalling	1,048	14.6	0.5×
tyres and wheels	787	11	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	643	9	0.7×
suspension	409	5.7	1.1×
drive system	402	5.6	1.1×
structure and attachments	305	4.3	0.8×
tyres	304	4.2	0.9×
steering	192	2.7	0.9×

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 CBF600 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 CBF600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (88.2% pass). Weakest: 1999 (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 CBF600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBF600 reliable?

The HONDA CBF600 is about average for its class: 84.1% of its 42,670 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2720 of 5426 models.

What does a CBF600 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed CBF600 tests.

What is the best year of CBF600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (88.2%) and 1999 worst (76.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBF600 last?

The median CBF600 shows 17,014 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.