HONDA VFR 800 A-8

782cc Petrol Class 2

#2016 of 5426 overall #272 of 921 HONDAs #1223 of 2787 other bikes

86.6%

first-time pass rate

7.3%

failed outright

17,065

median miles at test

2,289

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The VFR 800 A-8's first-time pass rate has risen 1.6 points since 2011, 85.2% to 86.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VFR 800 A-8 passes first time 91.3% of the time; by 50k that's 87.0%.

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-8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	56	20.3	1.2×
brakes	51	18.5	0.4×
tyres and wheels	41	14.9	0.8×
suspension	36	13	1.8×
tyres	28	10.1	1.6×
lighting and signalling	19	6.9	0.2×
steering and suspension	18	6.5	0.2×
structure and attachments	13	4.7	0.6×
steering	10	3.6	0.9×
Identification of the vehicle	4	1.4	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-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 A-8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (87.4% pass). Weakest: 2008 (86.3%).

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-8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR 800 A-8 reliable?

The HONDA VFR 800 A-8 is about average for its class: 86.6% of its 2,289 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2016 of 5426 models.

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

lamps and reflectors — 20% of all defects recorded against failed VFR 800 A-8 tests.

How many miles will a VFR 800 A-8 last?

The median VFR 800 A-8 shows 17,065 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.