HONDA SLR650

644cc Petrol Class 2

#3440 of 5426 overall #597 of 921 HONDAs #2196 of 2787 other bikes

80.7%

first-time pass rate

10.4%

failed outright

18,932

median miles at test

5,294

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SLR650's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.1 points since 2005, 85.6% to 80.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SLR650's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage SLR650 passes first time 85.1% of the time; by 50k that's 73.0%.

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 SLR650

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	291	24.9	1.4×
lighting and signalling	282	24.1	0.9×
brakes	243	20.8	0.8×
tyres and wheels	109	9.3	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	85	7.3	0.6×
drive system	65	5.6	1.3×
reg plates and vin	26	2.2	0.8×
driving controls	24	2	1.8×
structure and attachments	23	2	0.5×
body and structure	23	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 SLR650 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 SLR650.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (89.2% pass). Weakest: 1997 (78.9%).

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 SLR650 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SLR650 reliable?

The HONDA SLR650 is less reliable than average for its class: 80.7% of its 5,294 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3440 of 5426 models.

What does a SLR650 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 25% of all defects recorded against failed SLR650 tests.

What is the best year of SLR650 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (89.2%) and 1997 worst (78.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SLR650 last?

The median SLR650 shows 18,932 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.