HONDA ST

1261cc Petrol Class 2

#680 of 5426 overall #76 of 921 HONDAs #414 of 2787 other bikes

91.0%

first-time pass rate

5.7%

failed outright

16,776

median miles at test

2,423

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The ST's first-time pass rate has risen 11.3 points since 2006, 82.2% to 93.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage ST passes first time 91.3% of the time; by 50k that's 87.8%.

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 ST

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	76	27	0.5×
lighting and signalling	69	24.6	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	30	10.7	0.6×
suspension	29	10.3	1.5×
steering and suspension	22	7.8	0.2×
tyres	21	7.5	1.2×
tyres and wheels	13	4.6	0.2×
steering	9	3.2	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	6	2.1	0.3×
body and structure	6	2.1	0.3×

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 ST beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 ST.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1998 (100.0% pass). Weakest: 1971 (81.3%).

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 ST FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA ST reliable?

The HONDA ST is more reliable than average for its class: 91.0% of its 2,423 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #680 of 5426 models.

What does a ST fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed ST tests.

What is the best year of ST to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1998-registered examples do best (100.0%) and 1971 worst (81.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ST last?

The median ST shows 16,776 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.