Benelli Tornado vs Honda VFR800 Fi

The Benelli Tornado passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 90.2% vs 86.7%, a 3.5-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Benelli Tornado	Honda VFR800 Fi
First-time pass rate	90.2%	86.7%
Outright fail rate	4.7%	8.5%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+2.5 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	898cc	781cc
Rank among all models	#884 of 5428	#1985 of 5428
Median miles at test	6,062	26,212
MOT tests analysed	2,411	89,421
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	brakes

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	Benelli Tornado	Honda VFR800 Fi
Lights & signalling	2.1%	2.4%
Brakes	1.0%	3.2%
Steering & suspension	1.2%	2.6%
Tyres & wheels	0.9%	2.3%
Fuel & exhaust	0.2%	0.5%
Structure & body	0.2%	0.4%
Drive system	0.1%	0.4%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Benelli Tornado	Honda VFR800 Fi
2018	91.8%	86.1%
2019	92.0%	86.6%
2020	86.9%	87.0%
2021	94.4%	87.3%
2022	90.1%	87.1%
2023	90.6%	88.9%
2024	94.9%	88.9%
2025	92.8%	88.2%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Benelli Tornado	Honda VFR800 Fi
0k-10k miles	90.3%	92.5%
10k-20k miles	89.2%	89.4%
20k-30k miles	92.3%	87.3%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

Benelli Tornado vs Honda VFR800 Fi FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Benelli Tornado or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

The Benelli Tornado passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 90.2% vs 86.7%, a 3.5-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda VFR800 Fi still comes out ahead: +2.5 points vs comparable bikes for the Benelli Tornado, +4.5 for the Honda VFR800 Fi. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Benelli Tornado fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 2.1% of Benelli Tornado MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (1.2%).

What does the Honda VFR800 Fi fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 3.2% of Honda VFR800 Fi MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (2.6%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Benelli Tornado or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

At 20k-30k miles the Benelli Tornado passes first time more often: 92.3% for the Benelli Tornado vs 87.3% for the Honda VFR800 Fi.

BENELLI TORNADO 90.2% pass · 2,411 tests HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k tests

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.