HONDA VFR800 FI

781cc Petrol Class 2

#1986 of 5426 overall #265 of 921 HONDAs #1204 of 2787 other bikes

HONDA VFR800 FI — Photo: Rainmaker47 · CC BY-SA 3.0

86.7%

first-time pass rate

8.5%

failed outright

26,212

median miles at test

89.4k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The VFR800 FI's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.2 points since 2005, 89.4% to 88.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VFR800 FI passes first time 92.5% of the time; by 50k that's 81.4%.

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 VFR800 FI

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	4,052	30.8	0.8×
steering and suspension	2,151	16.4	0.7×
lighting and signalling	2,070	15.8	0.4×
tyres and wheels	1,894	14.4	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	729	5.5	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	542	4.1	0.7×
drive system	482	3.7	0.6×
suspension	435	3.3	0.6×
tyres	414	3.2	0.6×
structure and attachments	367	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 FI 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 FI.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (90.9% pass). Weakest: 1997 (85.1%).

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 FI FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VFR800 FI reliable?

The HONDA VFR800 FI is about average for its class: 86.7% of its 89,421 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1986 of 5426 models.

What does a VFR800 FI fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 31% of all defects recorded against failed VFR800 FI tests.

What is the best year of VFR800 FI to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (90.9%) and 1997 worst (85.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VFR800 FI last?

The median VFR800 FI shows 26,212 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 81.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.