HONDA CMX 500 A-X

471cc Petrol Class 2

#343 of 5426 overall #45 of 921 HONDAs #211 of 2787 other bikes

92.7%

first-time pass rate

4.3%

failed outright

5,106

median miles at test

5,227

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2020–2025

The CMX 500 A-X's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.3 points since 2020, 96.4% to 91.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CMX 500 A-X's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CMX 500 A-X passes first time 94.4% of the time; by 30k that's 80.0%.

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 CMX 500 A-X

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	96	25.5	0.8×
brakes	69	18.4	0.2×
structure and attachments	69	18.4	1.5×
tyres	58	15.4	1.6×
suspension	42	11.2	0.9×
Identification of the vehicle	19	5.1	1.6×
steering	11	2.9	0.4×
audible warning (Horn)	11	2.9	1.1×
wheels	1	0.3	0.3×

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 CMX 500 A-X beats 4 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 YAMAHA FZ6 85.2% pass · 67.1k 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 CMX 500 A-X.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2019 (93.3% pass). Weakest: 2018 (92.4%).

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 CMX 500 A-X FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CMX 500 A-X reliable?

The HONDA CMX 500 A-X is more reliable than average for its class: 92.7% of its 5,227 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #343 of 5426 models.

What does a CMX 500 A-X fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 26% of all defects recorded against failed CMX 500 A-X tests.

What is the best year of CMX 500 A-X to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2019-registered examples do best (93.3%) and 2018 worst (92.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CMX 500 A-X last?

The median CMX 500 A-X shows 5,106 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 80.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.