HONDA ST70

72cc Petrol Class 1

#2893 of 5426 overall #459 of 921 HONDAs #44 of 734 commuter bikes

83.3%

first-time pass rate

8.8%

failed outright

6,417

median miles at test

2,426

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2018

The ST70's first-time pass rate has risen 21.5 points since 2005, 73.7% to 95.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ST70's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage ST70 passes first time 83.3% of the time; by 20k that's 84.2%.

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 ST70

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	290	49.3	1.5×
steering and suspension	99	16.8	0.9×
brakes	65	11.1	0.4×
reg plates and vin	32	5.4	1.6×
drive system	28	4.8	1.3×
tyres and wheels	24	4.1	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	18	3.1	0.9×
driving controls	15	2.6	2.6×
body and structure	12	2	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	5	0.9	0.1×

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 ST70 beats 1 of its 1 closest rivals (HONDA C90).

HONDA C90 79.3% pass · 92.8k 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 ST70.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1977 (88.4% pass). Weakest: 1972 (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 ST70 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA ST70 reliable?

The HONDA ST70 is more reliable than average for its class: 83.3% of its 2,426 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2893 of 5426 models.

What does a ST70 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 49% of all defects recorded against failed ST70 tests.

What is the best year of ST70 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1977-registered examples do best (88.4%) and 1972 worst (78.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ST70 last?

The median ST70 shows 6,417 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 84.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.