HONDA SH300

299cc Petrol Class 2

#1400 of 5426 overall #166 of 921 HONDAs #854 of 2787 other bikes

88.6%

first-time pass rate

7.0%

failed outright

13,014

median miles at test

2,463

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2010–2025

The SH300's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.8 points since 2010, 92.2% to 88.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SH300's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage SH300 passes first time 92.1% 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 SH300

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	108	39.7	0.8×
lighting and signalling	44	16.2	0.4×
tyres and wheels	37	13.6	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	30	11	0.7×
steering and suspension	20	7.4	0.3×
suspension	10	3.7	0.6×
tyres	9	3.3	0.5×
structure and attachments	8	2.9	0.4×
reg plates and vin	3	1.1	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	3	1.1	0.2×

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 SH300 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, YAMAHA RD350, YAMAHA YP250).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k 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 SH300.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (92.5% pass). Weakest: 2011 (85.8%).

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 SH300 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH300 reliable?

The HONDA SH300 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.6% of its 2,463 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1400 of 5426 models.

What does a SH300 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 40% of all defects recorded against failed SH300 tests.

What is the best year of SH300 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (92.5%) and 2011 worst (85.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH300 last?

The median SH300 shows 13,014 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.