HONDA CBR 500 RA-K

471cc Petrol Class 2

#726 of 5426 overall #85 of 921 HONDAs #21 of 226 sport bikes

90.8%

first-time pass rate

4.8%

failed outright

6,575

median miles at test

1,098

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2022–2025

The CBR 500 RA-K's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.1 points since 2022, 92.1% to 90.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR 500 RA-K's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBR 500 RA-K passes first time 93.4% of the time; by 20k that's 83.3%.

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 CBR 500 RA-K

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
structure and attachments	27	28.4	2.4×
brakes	24	25.3	0.4×
tyres	17	17.9	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	13	13.7	0.7×
suspension	7	7.4	0.9×
steering	4	4.2	0.9×
Identification of the vehicle	3	3.2	1.2×

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 CBR 500 RA-K beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA CBR600F, YAMAHA YZF-R6, SUZUKI GSXR600).

HONDA CBR600F 81.7% pass · 202k tests YAMAHA YZF-R6 79.0% pass · 155k tests SUZUKI GSXR600 76.7% pass · 149k tests HONDA CBR 83.7% pass · 77.1k 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 CBR 500 RA-K.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (94.0% pass). Weakest: 2021 (86.3%).

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 CBR 500 RA-K FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR 500 RA-K reliable?

The HONDA CBR 500 RA-K is more reliable than average for its class: 90.8% of its 1,098 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #726 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR 500 RA-K fail its MOT on most?

structure and attachments — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CBR 500 RA-K tests.

What is the best year of CBR 500 RA-K to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2020-registered examples do best (94.0%) and 2021 worst (86.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR 500 RA-K last?

The median CBR 500 RA-K shows 6,575 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 83.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.