HONDA VFR 800-8

782cc Petrol Class 2

#1478 of 5426 overall #183 of 921 HONDAs #898 of 2787 other bikes

88.4%

first-time pass rate

6.4%

failed outright

17,667

median miles at test

946

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The VFR 800-8's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.6 points since 2011, 95.1% to 91.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VFR 800-8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VFR 800-8 passes first time 91.2% of the time; by 50k that's 84.4%.

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 800-8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	20	22	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	16	17.6	0.8×
steering and suspension	11	12.1	0.3×
tyres and wheels	10	11	0.5×
tyres	10	11	1.5×
lighting and signalling	9	9.9	0.2×
suspension	7	7.7	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	3	3.3	0.4×
steering	3	3.3	0.8×
drive system	2	2.2	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 VFR 800-8 beats 4 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 TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 800-8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (91.3% pass). Weakest: 2010 (81.9%).

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 VFR 800-8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR 800-8 reliable?

The HONDA VFR 800-8 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.4% of its 946 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1478 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR 800-8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed VFR 800-8 tests.

What is the best year of VFR 800-8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (91.3%) and 2010 worst (81.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VFR 800-8 last?

The median VFR 800-8 shows 17,667 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 84.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.