HONDA VFR 1200 X-C

1237cc Petrol Class 2

#468 of 5426 overall #55 of 921 HONDAs #287 of 2787 other bikes

92.0%

first-time pass rate

4.7%

failed outright

19,462

median miles at test

2,209

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2015–2025

The VFR 1200 X-C's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.2 points since 2015, 93.9% to 91.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VFR 1200 X-C passes first time 93.3% of the time; by 50k that's 88.9%.

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 X-C

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	70	42.2	0.6×
suspension	31	18.7	1.7×
tyres and wheels	16	9.6	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	16	9.6	0.3×
steering	8	4.8	0.7×
tyres	8	4.8	0.5×
steering and suspension	7	4.2	0.1×
structure and attachments	5	3	0.3×
lighting and signalling	4	2.4	—
wheels	1	0.6	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 VFR 1200 X-C 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 X-C.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (93.0% pass). Weakest: 2013 (91.1%).

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 X-C FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR 1200 X-C reliable?

The HONDA VFR 1200 X-C is more reliable than average for its class: 92.0% of its 2,209 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #468 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR 1200 X-C fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 42% of all defects recorded against failed VFR 1200 X-C tests.

How many miles will a VFR 1200 X-C last?

The median VFR 1200 X-C shows 19,462 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.