HONDA NTV

649cc Petrol Class 2

#3733 of 5426 overall #677 of 921 HONDAs #2372 of 2787 other bikes

79.2%

first-time pass rate

12.8%

failed outright

39,471

median miles at test

1,950

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The NTV's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.6 points since 2006, 81.7% to 79.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage NTV passes first time 82.3% of the time; by 50k that's 79.5%.

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 NTV

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	128	23.7	1.1×
lighting and signalling	127	23.6	1.0×
steering and suspension	120	22.3	1.4×
tyres and wheels	54	10	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	29	5.4	0.7×
suspension	27	5	1.5×
driving controls	16	3	3.5×
body and structure	14	2.6	1.2×
structure and attachments	13	2.4	0.9×
steering	11	2	1.1×

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 NTV 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 NTV.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1998 (86.0% pass). Weakest: 1996 (71.2%).

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 NTV FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NTV reliable?

The HONDA NTV is less reliable than average for its class: 79.2% of its 1,950 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3733 of 5426 models.

What does a NTV fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 24% of all defects recorded against failed NTV tests.

What is the best year of NTV to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1998-registered examples do best (86.0%) and 1996 worst (71.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NTV last?

The median NTV shows 39,471 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.