HONDA CX

498cc Petrol Class 2

#3165 of 5426 overall #521 of 921 HONDAs #2014 of 2787 other bikes

82.1%

first-time pass rate

11.3%

failed outright

39,887

median miles at test

820

MOT tests, 2005–2025

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%).

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%.

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	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 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 CX.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1978 (86.5% pass). Weakest: 1982 (73.3%).

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 5426 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 — mileage alone rarely kills one.