BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HONDA/CBR1000
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

HONDA CBR1000

998cc Petrol Class 2
#2659 of 5428 overall #401 of 920 HONDAs #123 of 226 sport bikes
84.3%
first-time pass rate
9.0%
failed outright
20,912
median miles at test
3,873
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+0.6pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The CBR1000's first-time pass rate has risen 4.6 points since 2006, 84.5% to 89.1%.

74%83%93%2006: 84.5% pass (168 tests)2007: 83.3% pass (180 tests)2008: 79.5% pass (166 tests)2009: 80.9% pass (178 tests)2010: 77.4% pass (186 tests)2011: 79.9% pass (219 tests)2012: 82.0% pass (233 tests)2013: 84.7% pass (255 tests)2014: 82.8% pass (291 tests)2015: 86.9% pass (267 tests)2016: 82.3% pass (249 tests)2017: 84.9% pass (239 tests)2018: 87.7% pass (171 tests)2019: 89.5% pass (153 tests)2020: 85.9% pass (128 tests)2021: 87.6% pass (169 tests)2022: 85.3% pass (184 tests)2023: 88.6% pass (158 tests)2024: 89.3% pass (122 tests)2025: 89.1% pass (137 tests)20062025

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR1000's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBR1000 passes first time 87.3% of the time; by 50k that's 76.3%.

74%82%90%0k: 87.3% pass (818 tests)10k: 86.5% pass (1,024 tests)20k: 84.8% pass (781 tests)30k: 82.3% pass (530 tests)40k: 80.5% pass (349 tests)50k: 76.3% pass (190 tests)0k30k50k

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 CBR1000

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
178 27.3 0.8×
steering and suspension
113 17.4 0.8×
lighting and signalling
107 16.4 0.5×
tyres and wheels
85 13.1 1.0×
lamps and reflectors
38 5.8 0.5×
tyres
28 4.3 0.8×
suspension
26 4 0.8×
reg plates and vin
26 4 0.9×
drive system
25 3.8 0.8×
fuel and exhaust
25 3.8 0.8×

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 CBR1000 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YZF-R1, HONDA CBR900RR, TRIUMPH DAYTONA).

YAMAHA YZF-R1 84.1% pass · 232k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CBR900RR 83.2% pass · 166k tests Compare head-to-head →
TRIUMPH DAYTONA 83.6% pass · 113k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CBR1100XX 87.1% pass · 105k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 CBR1000.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the CBR1000

More HONDA models

other HONDA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
HONDA CBR600F 81.7% pass · 202k tests
HONDA CBR900RR 83.2% pass · 166k tests
HONDA CBR1100XX 87.1% pass · 105k tests
HONDA CB500 83.3% pass · 105k tests
HONDA C90 79.3% pass · 92.8k tests
HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k tests

See all HONDA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 2012 (92.5%). Lowest: 1993 (78.5%). Every CBR1000 year compared →

76%86%95%1990: 82.1% pass (156 tests)1991: 78.9% pass (190 tests)1992: 83.3% pass (72 tests)1993: 78.5% pass (214 tests)1994: 82.3% pass (266 tests)1995: 85.0% pass (433 tests)1996: 86.1% pass (267 tests)1997: 79.8% pass (89 tests)2004: 81.3% pass (256 tests)2005: 85.4% pass (89 tests)2006: 87.1% pass (240 tests)2007: 85.3% pass (313 tests)2008: 86.2% pass (304 tests)2009: 85.5% pass (220 tests)2010: 87.4% pass (247 tests)2011: 90.8% pass (130 tests)2012: 92.5% pass (80 tests)199020042012

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 CBR1000 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR1000 reliable?

The HONDA CBR1000 is about average for its class: 84.3% of its 3,873 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2659 of 5428 models.

What does a CBR1000 fail its MOT on most?

brakes: 27% of all defects recorded against failed CBR1000 tests.

What is the best year of CBR1000 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (92.5%) and 1993 worst (78.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR1000 last?

The median CBR1000 shows 20,912 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.3% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

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