HONDA CBX550

572cc Petrol Class 2

#3845 of 5426 overall #716 of 921 HONDAs #2437 of 2787 other bikes

78.5%

first-time pass rate

13.9%

failed outright

32,910

median miles at test

2,258

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2023

The CBX550's first-time pass rate has risen 21.4 points since 2005, 68.8% to 90.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBX550's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBX550 passes first time 81.9% of the time; by 50k that's 76.6%.

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 CBX550

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	215	27.8	2.2×
lighting and signalling	181	23.4	1.2×
brakes	180	23.3	1.3×
tyres and wheels	57	7.4	1.1×
drive system	35	4.5	1.7×
fuel and exhaust	34	4.4	1.8×
driving controls	21	2.7	4.0×
body and structure	19	2.5	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	15	1.9	0.3×
Items Not Tested	15	1.9	4.8×

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 CBX550 beats 2 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 CBX550.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1986 (83.1% pass). Weakest: 1983 (75.2%).

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 CBX550 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBX550 reliable?

The HONDA CBX550 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.5% of its 2,258 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3845 of 5426 models.

What does a CBX550 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CBX550 tests.

What is the best year of CBX550 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (83.1%) and 1983 worst (75.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBX550 last?

The median CBX550 shows 32,910 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.