HONDA SH50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#4436 of 5426 overall #845 of 921 HONDAs #162 of 455 moped bikes

73.6%

first-time pass rate

17.8%

failed outright

11,646

median miles at test

1,313

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2016

The SH50's first-time pass rate has risen 3.7 points since 2005, 79.2% to 82.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SH50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SH50 passes first time 78.4% of the time; by 30k that's 57.9%.

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 SH50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	188	29.3	1.9×
brakes	168	26.2	1.8×
steering and suspension	149	23.2	2.5×
tyres and wheels	59	9.2	2.0×
fuel and exhaust	23	3.6	2.3×
body and structure	23	3.6	3.5×
lamps and reflectors	16	2.5	0.5×
tyres	8	1.2	0.6×
reg plates and vin	5	0.8	0.7×
suspension	3	0.5	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 SH50 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 SH50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1993 (86.1% pass). Weakest: 2003 (66.1%).

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 SH50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH50 reliable?

The HONDA SH50 is about average for its class: 73.6% of its 1,313 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4436 of 5426 models.

What does a SH50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed SH50 tests.

What is the best year of SH50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (86.1%) and 2003 worst (66.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH50 last?

The median SH50 shows 11,646 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 57.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.