HONDA NTV650

647cc Petrol Class 2

#3805 of 5426 overall #699 of 921 HONDAs #2415 of 2787 other bikes

78.8%

first-time pass rate

13.8%

failed outright

37,464

median miles at test

11.9k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The NTV650's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (81.4% → 82.4%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the NTV650's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage NTV650 passes first time 82.9% of the time; by 50k that's 75.7%.

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 NTV650

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	951	26.3	1.4×
steering and suspension	878	24.3	1.8×
lighting and signalling	731	20.2	1.0×
tyres and wheels	381	10.5	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	142	3.9	1.4×
driving controls	137	3.8	4.8×
lamps and reflectors	109	3	0.5×
body and structure	103	2.8	1.5×
suspension	97	2.7	0.9×
tyres	87	2.4	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 NTV650 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 NTV650.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2003 (87.8% pass). Weakest: 1991 (72.5%).

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 NTV650 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NTV650 reliable?

The HONDA NTV650 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.8% of its 11,858 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3805 of 5426 models.

What does a NTV650 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed NTV650 tests.

What is the best year of NTV650 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (87.8%) and 1991 worst (72.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NTV650 last?

The median NTV650 shows 37,464 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.