HONDA CX500EC

499cc Petrol Class 2

#3816 of 5426 overall #706 of 921 HONDAs #2422 of 2787 other bikes

78.7%

first-time pass rate

13.8%

failed outright

39,908

median miles at test

1,604

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2020

The CX500EC's first-time pass rate has risen 4.9 points since 2005, 77.1% to 82.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CX500EC's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CX500EC passes first time 75.0% of the time; by 50k that's 76.2%.

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 CX500EC

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	181	33.3	1.8×
steering and suspension	122	22.4	1.8×
lighting and signalling	111	20.4	1.2×
tyres and wheels	44	8.1	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	28	5.1	1.8×
lamps and reflectors	18	3.3	0.4×
body and structure	16	2.9	1.6×
suspension	11	2	0.7×
reg plates and vin	7	1.3	0.7×
driving controls	6	1.1	1.6×

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 CX500EC 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 CX500EC.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1984 (85.8% pass). Weakest: 1981 (75.4%).

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 CX500EC FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CX500EC reliable?

The HONDA CX500EC is less reliable than average for its class: 78.7% of its 1,604 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3816 of 5426 models.

What does a CX500EC fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 33% of all defects recorded against failed CX500EC tests.

What is the best year of CX500EC to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1984-registered examples do best (85.8%) and 1981 worst (75.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CX500EC last?

The median CX500EC shows 39,908 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.