HONDA VFR 800 A-6

782cc Petrol Class 2

#2172 of 5426 overall #305 of 921 HONDAs #1342 of 2787 other bikes

86.1%

first-time pass rate

8.5%

failed outright

18,107

median miles at test

4,223

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The VFR 800 A-6's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.2 points since 2009, 92.1% to 82.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VFR 800 A-6's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VFR 800 A-6 passes first time 92.2% of the time; by 50k that's 78.0%.

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-6

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	182	30.1	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	122	20.2	1.3×
tyres and wheels	73	12.1	0.8×
suspension	57	9.4	1.5×
lighting and signalling	52	8.6	0.2×
steering and suspension	37	6.1	0.3×
tyres	31	5.1	1.0×
structure and attachments	21	3.5	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	17	2.8	0.5×
drive system	12	2	0.4×

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-6 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 A-6.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (88.3% pass). Weakest: 2009 (81.3%).

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-6 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR 800 A-6 reliable?

The HONDA VFR 800 A-6 is about average for its class: 86.1% of its 4,223 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2172 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR 800 A-6 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 30% of all defects recorded against failed VFR 800 A-6 tests.

What is the best year of VFR 800 A-6 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (88.3%) and 2009 worst (81.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VFR 800 A-6 last?

The median VFR 800 A-6 shows 18,107 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 78.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.