HONDA VFR 1200 F-A

1237cc Petrol Class 2

#919 of 5426 overall #104 of 921 HONDAs #560 of 2787 other bikes

90.1%

first-time pass rate

6.4%

failed outright

16,898

median miles at test

6,510

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2013–2025

The VFR 1200 F-A's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.8 points since 2013, 92.2% to 88.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VFR 1200 F-A's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VFR 1200 F-A passes first time 95.0% of the time; by 50k that's 79.3%.

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 VFR 1200 F-A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	293	43.7	0.8×
tyres and wheels	77	11.5	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	66	9.9	0.6×
tyres	56	8.4	1.1×
suspension	48	7.2	0.9×
lighting and signalling	37	5.5	0.1×
steering and suspension	37	5.5	0.2×
steering	26	3.9	0.9×
structure and attachments	16	2.4	0.3×
reg plates and vin	14	2.1	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 VFR 1200 F-A 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 VFR 1200 F-A.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (90.6% pass). Weakest: 2012 (87.5%).

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 VFR 1200 F-A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR 1200 F-A reliable?

The HONDA VFR 1200 F-A is more reliable than average for its class: 90.1% of its 6,510 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #919 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR 1200 F-A fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 44% of all defects recorded against failed VFR 1200 F-A tests.

What is the best year of VFR 1200 F-A to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (90.6%) and 2012 worst (87.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VFR 1200 F-A last?

The median VFR 1200 F-A shows 16,898 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.