HONDA CX650ED

649cc Petrol Class 2

#3770 of 5426 overall #690 of 921 HONDAs #2396 of 2787 other bikes

79.0%

first-time pass rate

13.9%

failed outright

41,744

median miles at test

1,060

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2020

The CX650ED's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.2 points since 2006, 81.2% to 80.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CX650ED's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CX650ED passes first time 75.4% of the time; by 50k that's 77.6%.

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 CX650ED

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	104	31.9	1.5×
steering and suspension	92	28.2	2.2×
lighting and signalling	62	19	1.1×
tyres and wheels	24	7.4	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	9	2.8	0.4×
Items Not Tested	8	2.5	6.2×
fuel and exhaust	8	2.5	1.0×
driving controls	7	2.1	2.8×
structure and attachments	6	1.8	0.6×
body and structure	6	1.8	1.0×

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 CX650ED 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 CX650ED.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1984 (81.2% pass). Weakest: 1985 (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 CX650ED FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CX650ED reliable?

The HONDA CX650ED is less reliable than average for its class: 79.0% of its 1,060 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3770 of 5426 models.

What does a CX650ED fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed CX650ED tests.

What is the best year of CX650ED to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1984-registered examples do best (81.2%) and 1985 worst (75.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CX650ED last?

The median CX650ED shows 41,744 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.