HONDA VF500

499cc Petrol Class 2

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

80.7%

first-time pass rate

13.6%

failed outright

30,569

median miles at test

1,970

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The VF500's first-time pass rate has risen 34.3 points since 2005, 62.9% to 97.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VF500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VF500 passes first time 95.2% of the time; by 50k that's 76.7%.

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 VF500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	216	32.1	2.4×
lighting and signalling	154	22.9	1.3×
brakes	130	19.3	1.1×
tyres and wheels	49	7.3	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	40	6	2.1×
drive system	26	3.9	1.5×
body and structure	19	2.8	1.9×
driving controls	18	2.7	3.7×
lamps and reflectors	11	1.6	0.3×
reg plates and vin	9	1.3	0.8×

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 VF500 beats 3 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 VF500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1987 (88.7% pass). Weakest: 1985 (77.6%).

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 VF500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VF500 reliable?

The HONDA VF500 is less reliable than average for its class: 80.7% of its 1,970 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3440 of 5426 models.

What does a VF500 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 32% of all defects recorded against failed VF500 tests.

What is the best year of VF500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1987-registered examples do best (88.7%) and 1985 worst (77.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VF500 last?

The median VF500 shows 30,569 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.