HONDA XBR500

499cc Petrol Class 2

#2120 of 5426 overall #293 of 921 HONDAs #1301 of 2787 other bikes

86.3%

first-time pass rate

7.0%

failed outright

35,150

median miles at test

8,365

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XBR500's first-time pass rate has risen 6.8 points since 2005, 83.5% to 90.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XBR500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XBR500 passes first time 90.7% of the time; by 50k that's 82.2%.

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 XBR500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	315	25.5	0.9×
lighting and signalling	253	20.5	0.5×
brakes	247	20	0.5×
tyres and wheels	121	9.8	0.6×
drive system	64	5.2	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	57	4.6	0.3×
body and structure	56	4.5	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	55	4.5	0.7×
driving controls	33	2.7	1.6×
suspension	32	2.6	0.4×

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 XBR500 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 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 XBR500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1990 (90.7% pass). Weakest: 1987 (85.0%).

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 XBR500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XBR500 reliable?

The HONDA XBR500 is about average for its class: 86.3% of its 8,365 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2120 of 5426 models.

What does a XBR500 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 26% of all defects recorded against failed XBR500 tests.

What is the best year of XBR500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1990-registered examples do best (90.7%) and 1987 worst (85.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XBR500 last?

The median XBR500 shows 35,150 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.