HONDA DAX

49cc Petrol Class 1

#2089 of 5426 overall #288 of 921 HONDAs #21 of 455 moped bikes

86.4%

first-time pass rate

6.1%

failed outright

3,874

median miles at test

1,548

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The DAX's first-time pass rate has risen 13.2 points since 2006, 80.6% to 93.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DAX's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage DAX passes first time 88.1% of the time; by 20k that's 61.3%.

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 DAX

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	95	38.5	0.8×
steering and suspension	49	19.8	0.8×
brakes	28	11.3	0.3×
drive system	18	7.3	1.3×
tyres and wheels	15	6.1	0.4×
reg plates and vin	14	5.7	1.4×
structure and attachments	8	3.2	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	8	3.2	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	7	2.8	0.2×
driving controls	5	2	1.4×

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 DAX beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 DAX.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1990 (91.5% pass). Weakest: 1971 (79.8%).

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 DAX FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA DAX reliable?

The HONDA DAX is more reliable than average for its class: 86.4% of its 1,548 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2089 of 5426 models.

What does a DAX fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 38% of all defects recorded against failed DAX tests.

What is the best year of DAX to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1990-registered examples do best (91.5%) and 1971 worst (79.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DAX last?

The median DAX shows 3,874 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 61.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.