BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HONDA/CX
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

HONDA CX

498cc Petrol Class 2
#3165 of 5428 overall #521 of 920 HONDAs #2015 of 2788 other bikes
82.1%
first-time pass rate
11.3%
failed outright
39,887
median miles at test
820
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-1.5pp
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 · 2006–2017

The CX's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (80.6% → 80.4%).

66%83%100%2006: 80.6% pass (62 tests)2007: 81.8% pass (55 tests)2008: 72.3% pass (65 tests)2009: 80.8% pass (52 tests)2010: 80.6% pass (62 tests)2011: 81.4% pass (59 tests)2012: 87.1% pass (62 tests)2013: 82.1% pass (67 tests)2014: 83.1% pass (59 tests)2015: 82.1% pass (56 tests)2016: 95.7% pass (47 tests)2017: 80.4% pass (46 tests)20062017

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage CX passes first time 80.0% of the time; by 50k that's 85.9%.

78%83%89%0k: 80.0% pass (65 tests)10k: 87.0% pass (69 tests)20k: 81.4% pass (118 tests)30k: 79.1% pass (158 tests)40k: 84.5% pass (155 tests)50k: 85.9% pass (99 tests)0k30k50k

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 CX

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
steering and suspension
59 25.9 1.8×
lighting and signalling
56 24.6 1.1×
brakes
51 22.4 0.9×
body and structure
16 7 3.3×
lamps and reflectors
11 4.8 0.4×
tyres and wheels
9 3.9 0.6×
driving controls
8 3.5 3.6×
fuel and exhaust
7 3.1 1.1×
structure and attachments
6 2.6 0.7×
suspension
5 2.2 0.7×

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 CX beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 CX.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the CX

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

Highest pass rate: 1978 (86.5%). Lowest: 1982 (73.3%). Every CX year compared →

71%80%89%1978: 86.5% pass (96 tests)1979: 83.5% pass (109 tests)1980: 82.0% pass (217 tests)1981: 84.0% pass (181 tests)1982: 73.3% pass (135 tests)197819801982

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 CX FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CX reliable?

The HONDA CX is less reliable than average for its class: 82.1% of its 820 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3165 of 5428 models.

What does a CX fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension: 26% of all defects recorded against failed CX tests.

What is the best year of CX to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1978-registered examples do best (86.5%) and 1982 worst (73.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CX last?

The median CX shows 39,887 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 85.9% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum: a live Honda CX reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.