HONDA NIGHTHAWK

699cc Petrol Class 2

#3626 of 5426 overall #651 of 921 HONDAs #2313 of 2787 other bikes

79.8%

first-time pass rate

12.3%

failed outright

26,984

median miles at test

1,403

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2023

The NIGHTHAWK's first-time pass rate has fallen 11.7 points since 2006, 86.7% to 75.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage NIGHTHAWK passes first time 72.6% of the time; by 50k that's 75.3%.

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 NIGHTHAWK

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	88	25.1	1.1×
steering and suspension	77	22	1.5×
brakes	64	18.3	0.9×
tyres and wheels	44	12.6	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	22	6.3	1.9×
drive system	16	4.6	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	12	3.4	0.3×
driving controls	12	3.4	3.3×
tyres	8	2.3	0.6×
body and structure	7	2	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 NIGHTHAWK 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 NIGHTHAWK.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1983 (84.5% pass). Weakest: 1982 (70.1%).

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 NIGHTHAWK FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NIGHTHAWK reliable?

The HONDA NIGHTHAWK is less reliable than average for its class: 79.8% of its 1,403 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3626 of 5426 models.

What does a NIGHTHAWK fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed NIGHTHAWK tests.

What is the best year of NIGHTHAWK to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1983-registered examples do best (84.5%) and 1982 worst (70.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NIGHTHAWK last?

The median NIGHTHAWK shows 26,984 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.