HONDA FT500

499cc Petrol Class 2

#3531 of 5426 overall #622 of 921 HONDAs #2246 of 2787 other bikes

80.2%

first-time pass rate

10.9%

failed outright

21,868

median miles at test

682

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The FT500's first-time pass rate has risen 12.9 points since 2006, 73.8% to 86.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FT500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FT500 passes first time 82.0% of the time; by 40k that's 76.3%.

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 FT500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	42	25.8	1.0×
steering and suspension	35	21.5	1.0×
lighting and signalling	31	19	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	15	9.2	0.7×
tyres and wheels	8	4.9	0.6×
suspension	8	4.9	1.4×
reg plates and vin	7	4.3	1.3×
drive system	6	3.7	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	6	3.7	1.0×
tyres	5	3.1	0.9×

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 FT500 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 FT500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1984 (90.7% pass). Weakest: 1982 (78.8%).

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 FT500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA FT500 reliable?

The HONDA FT500 is less reliable than average for its class: 80.2% of its 682 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3531 of 5426 models.

What does a FT500 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed FT500 tests.

What is the best year of FT500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1984-registered examples do best (90.7%) and 1982 worst (78.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FT500 last?

The median FT500 shows 21,868 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 76.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.