HONDA VFR800

781cc Petrol Class 2

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

HONDA VFR800 — Photo: Joe · CC BY-SA 2.0

86.1%

first-time pass rate

8.3%

failed outright

20,592

median miles at test

62.1k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The VFR800's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.0 points since 2005, 91.3% to 84.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VFR800's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VFR800 passes first time 92.6% of the time; by 50k that's 79.2%.

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 VFR800

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	2,362	27.2	0.7×
tyres and wheels	1,308	15.1	0.9×
lighting and signalling	1,239	14.3	0.4×
steering and suspension	1,030	11.9	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	976	11.2	0.8×
suspension	537	6.2	1.0×
tyres	429	4.9	0.9×
drive system	289	3.3	0.5×
structure and attachments	267	3.1	0.5×
reg plates and vin	240	2.8	0.5×

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 VFR800 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 VFR800.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (91.4% pass). Weakest: 1998 (83.1%).

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 VFR800 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR800 reliable?

The HONDA VFR800 is about average for its class: 86.1% of its 62,143 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2172 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR800 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed VFR800 tests.

What is the best year of VFR800 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (91.4%) and 1998 worst (83.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VFR800 last?

The median VFR800 shows 20,592 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.