HONDA VT500

499cc Petrol Class 2

#3896 of 5426 overall #734 of 921 HONDAs #2466 of 2787 other bikes

78.1%

first-time pass rate

14.1%

failed outright

35,242

median miles at test

4,315

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The VT500's first-time pass rate has risen 16.2 points since 2005, 71.3% to 87.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VT500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VT500 passes first time 75.4% of the time; by 50k that's 74.4%.

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 VT500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	342	26.1	1.9×
lighting and signalling	314	24	1.3×
brakes	190	14.5	0.8×
tyres and wheels	115	8.8	1.1×
body and structure	92	7	3.5×
lamps and reflectors	70	5.3	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	63	4.8	1.6×
driving controls	48	3.7	4.7×
suspension	39	3	1.0×
structure and attachments	36	2.8	0.9×

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 VT500 beats 1 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 VT500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1989 (84.8% pass). Weakest: 1983 (76.4%).

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 VT500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VT500 reliable?

The HONDA VT500 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.1% of its 4,315 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3896 of 5426 models.

What does a VT500 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 26% of all defects recorded against failed VT500 tests.

What is the best year of VT500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1989-registered examples do best (84.8%) and 1983 worst (76.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VT500 last?

The median VT500 shows 35,242 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 74.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.