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League table/ HONDA/CRF450
Model report · 2005–2025

HONDA CRF450

450cc Petrol Class 2
#3218 of 5428 overall #537 of 920 HONDAs #18 of 29 off-road bikes
81.8%
first-time pass rate
11.0%
failed outright
1,081
median miles at test
11.8k
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-7.9pp
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 CRF450's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (86.0% → 85.8%).

74%81%89%2006: 86.0% pass (171 tests)2007: 79.1% pass (211 tests)2008: 81.1% pass (359 tests)2009: 76.4% pass (445 tests)2010: 77.6% pass (495 tests)2011: 76.3% pass (569 tests)2012: 76.0% pass (583 tests)2013: 78.6% pass (632 tests)2014: 78.7% pass (652 tests)2015: 82.4% pass (592 tests)2016: 81.0% pass (642 tests)2017: 82.1% pass (653 tests)2018: 82.4% pass (522 tests)2019: 81.5% pass (616 tests)2020: 84.8% pass (645 tests)2021: 84.9% pass (873 tests)2022: 85.4% pass (903 tests)2023: 84.0% pass (869 tests)2024: 84.9% pass (664 tests)2025: 85.8% pass (738 tests)20062025

What fails on a CRF450

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
925 28.4 1.0×
steering and suspension
450 13.8 0.9×
lamps and reflectors
429 13.2 1.2×
tyres and wheels
378 11.6 1.1×
brakes
249 7.6 0.4×
reg plates and vin
244 7.5 2.9×
suspension
213 6.5 1.8×
audible warning (Horn)
127 3.9 5.9×
tyres
126 3.9 1.2×
Identification of the vehicle
121 3.7 4.3×

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.

Compare with any bike

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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

Best year to buy used: 2021 (87.5% pass). Weakest: 2001 (74.9%).

72%81%90%2001: 74.9% pass (187 tests)2002: 80.2% pass (783 tests)2003: 78.5% pass (945 tests)2004: 80.0% pass (684 tests)2005: 79.5% pass (1,897 tests)2006: 79.3% pass (1,262 tests)2007: 79.8% pass (678 tests)2008: 81.2% pass (479 tests)2009: 81.3% pass (667 tests)2010: 83.9% pass (378 tests)2011: 83.0% pass (283 tests)2012: 85.4% pass (315 tests)2013: 86.8% pass (379 tests)2014: 85.4% pass (446 tests)2015: 86.6% pass (516 tests)2016: 85.8% pass (501 tests)2017: 84.4% pass (358 tests)2018: 86.9% pass (297 tests)2019: 85.4% pass (412 tests)2020: 86.7% pass (150 tests)2021: 87.5% pass (144 tests)200120112021

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 CRF450 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CRF450 reliable?

The HONDA CRF450 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.8% of its 11,846 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3218 of 5428 models.

What does a CRF450 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CRF450 tests.

What is the best year of CRF450 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2021-registered examples do best (87.5%) and 2001 worst (74.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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