HONDA VTR1000 SP-Y

999cc Petrol Class 2

#2050 of 5426 overall #277 of 921 HONDAs #1247 of 2787 other bikes

86.5%

first-time pass rate

6.2%

failed outright

12,970

median miles at test

1,002

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2016

The VTR1000 SP-Y's first-time pass rate has fallen 13.0 points since 2006, 86.8% to 73.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VTR1000 SP-Y's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VTR1000 SP-Y passes first time 89.1% of the time; by 30k that's 82.9%.

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 VTR1000 SP-Y

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	41	31.3	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	19	14.5	2.4×
steering and suspension	15	11.5	0.4×
reg plates and vin	13	9.9	1.4×
brakes	11	8.4	0.2×
lamps and reflectors	11	8.4	0.4×
tyres and wheels	10	7.6	0.4×
drive system	5	3.8	0.4×
tyres	4	3.1	0.4×
driving controls	2	1.5	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 VTR1000 SP-Y beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 VTR1000 SP-Y.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (89.7% pass). Weakest: 2002 (83.7%).

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 VTR1000 SP-Y FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VTR1000 SP-Y reliable?

The HONDA VTR1000 SP-Y is about average for its class: 86.5% of its 1,002 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2050 of 5426 models.

What does a VTR1000 SP-Y fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed VTR1000 SP-Y tests.

What is the best year of VTR1000 SP-Y to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (89.7%) and 2002 worst (83.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VTR1000 SP-Y last?

The median VTR1000 SP-Y shows 12,970 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 82.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.