HONDA CBR600

599cc Petrol Class 2

#3704 of 5426 overall #669 of 921 HONDAs #176 of 226 sport bikes

79.4%

first-time pass rate

13.4%

failed outright

25,845

median miles at test

19.0k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CBR600's first-time pass rate has risen 1.1 points since 2005, 82.1% to 83.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBR600 passes first time 85.2% of the time; by 50k that's 74.2%.

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 CBR600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,359	25.1	1.2×
lighting and signalling	1,192	22	1.1×
steering and suspension	1,029	19	1.4×
tyres and wheels	692	12.8	1.5×
drive system	242	4.5	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	238	4.4	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	227	4.2	0.5×
reg plates and vin	207	3.8	1.6×
suspension	124	2.3	0.7×
driving controls	111	2	2.5×

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 CBR600 beats 2 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 SUZUKI GSXR750 79.8% pass · 99.2k 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 CBR600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (90.3% pass). Weakest: 1987 (62.0%).

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 CBR600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR600 reliable?

The HONDA CBR600 is less reliable than average for its class: 79.4% of its 19,030 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3704 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR600 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 25% of all defects recorded against failed CBR600 tests.

What is the best year of CBR600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (90.3%) and 1987 worst (62.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR600 last?

The median CBR600 shows 25,845 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 74.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.