HONDA VFR 800 A-5

782cc Petrol Class 2

#2658 of 5426 overall #401 of 921 HONDAs #1672 of 2787 other bikes

84.3%

first-time pass rate

10.1%

failed outright

18,006

median miles at test

1,233

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2025

The VFR 800 A-5's first-time pass rate has fallen 8.1 points since 2009, 88.5% to 80.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VFR 800 A-5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VFR 800 A-5 passes first time 89.5% of the time; by 50k that's 77.4%.

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 A-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	44	21.5	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	32	15.6	1.3×
lighting and signalling	30	14.6	0.5×
tyres and wheels	29	14.1	1.0×
steering and suspension	23	11.2	0.6×
suspension	18	8.8	1.7×
drive system	8	3.9	0.8×
reg plates and vin	7	3.4	0.6×
steering	7	3.4	1.2×
tyres	7	3.4	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 800 A-5 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 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 A-5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (85.9% pass). Weakest: 2006 (83.9%).

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 A-5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR 800 A-5 reliable?

The HONDA VFR 800 A-5 is about average for its class: 84.3% of its 1,233 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2658 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR 800 A-5 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 21% of all defects recorded against failed VFR 800 A-5 tests.

How many miles will a VFR 800 A-5 last?

The median VFR 800 A-5 shows 18,006 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.