HONDA NC29

399cc Petrol Class 2

#3896 of 5426 overall #734 of 921 HONDAs #2466 of 2787 other bikes

78.1%

first-time pass rate

13.8%

failed outright

32,640

median miles at test

521

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2016

The NC29's first-time pass rate has risen 10.4 points since 2006, 79.6% to 90.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the NC29's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage NC29 passes first time 84.6% of the time; by 50k that's 77.3%.

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 NC29

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	58	31.2	1.6×
steering and suspension	54	29	2.0×
brakes	25	13.4	0.8×
tyres and wheels	18	9.7	1.5×
drive system	8	4.3	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	7	3.8	1.5×
body and structure	5	2.7	2.0×
lamps and reflectors	5	2.7	0.5×
reg plates and vin	4	2.2	1.0×
suspension	2	1.1	0.5×

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 NC29 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, SUZUKI GS500, SUZUKI AN400).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k 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 NC29.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (90.2% pass). Weakest: 1990 (70.0%).

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 NC29 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NC29 reliable?

The HONDA NC29 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.1% of its 521 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3896 of 5426 models.

What does a NC29 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed NC29 tests.

What is the best year of NC29 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (90.2%) and 1990 worst (70.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NC29 last?

The median NC29 shows 32,640 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.