HONDA CBR900

900cc Petrol Class 2

#3334 of 5426 overall #572 of 921 HONDAs #161 of 226 sport bikes

81.2%

first-time pass rate

11.3%

failed outright

25,858

median miles at test

8,115

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CBR900's first-time pass rate has risen 3.4 points since 2005, 82.4% to 85.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR900's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBR900 passes first time 85.0% of the time; by 50k that's 78.7%.

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 CBR900

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	547	26.8	1.1×
steering and suspension	429	21	1.3×
brakes	417	20.4	0.9×
tyres and wheels	196	9.6	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	96	4.7	0.5×
reg plates and vin	92	4.5	1.7×
fuel and exhaust	84	4.1	1.3×
drive system	74	3.6	0.9×
suspension	57	2.8	0.8×
body and structure	50	2.4	1.0×

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 CBR900 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YZF-R1, HONDA CBR900RR, TRIUMPH DAYTONA).

YAMAHA YZF-R1 84.1% pass · 232k tests HONDA CBR900RR 83.2% pass · 166k tests TRIUMPH DAYTONA 83.6% pass · 113k tests HONDA CBR1100XX 87.1% pass · 105k 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 CBR900.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (86.1% pass). Weakest: 1971 (70.8%).

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 CBR900 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR900 reliable?

The HONDA CBR900 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.2% of its 8,115 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3334 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR900 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 27% of all defects recorded against failed CBR900 tests.

What is the best year of CBR900 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (86.1%) and 1971 worst (70.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR900 last?

The median CBR900 shows 25,858 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 78.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.