BMW C 650 vs Honda VFR800 Fi

The BMW C 650 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 92.5% vs 86.7%, a 5.8-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	BMW C 650	Honda VFR800 Fi
First-time pass rate	92.5%	86.7%
Outright fail rate	4.3%	8.5%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+5.1 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	647cc	781cc
Rank among all models	#384 of 5428	#1985 of 5428
Median miles at test	9,198	26,212
MOT tests analysed	1,872	89,421
Most common failure	brakes	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	BMW C 650	Honda VFR800 Fi
Brakes	2.3%	3.2%
Tyres & wheels	1.6%	2.3%
Lights & signalling	1.0%	2.4%
Steering & suspension	0.6%	2.6%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.5%
Drive system	0%	0.4%
Structure & body	0%	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	BMW C 650	Honda VFR800 Fi
2018	93.1%	86.1%
2019	94.7%	86.6%
2020	92.2%	87.0%
2021	91.5%	87.3%
2022	93.7%	87.1%
2023	92.4%	88.9%
2024	90.0%	88.9%
2025	92.7%	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	BMW C 650	Honda VFR800 Fi
0k-10k miles	93.9%	92.5%
10k-20k miles	91.7%	89.4%
20k-30k miles	87.1%	87.3%
30k-40k miles	94.4%	85.5%

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

BMW C 650 vs Honda VFR800 Fi FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the BMW C 650 or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

The BMW C 650 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 92.5% vs 86.7%, a 5.8-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+5.1 vs +4.5 points against comparable bikes), so the raw gap is mostly down to how old and how used each fleet is. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the BMW C 650 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 2.3% of BMW C 650 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.6%).

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 BMW C 650 or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

At 30k-40k miles the BMW C 650 passes first time more often: 94.4% for the BMW C 650 vs 85.5% for the Honda VFR800 Fi.

BMW C 650 92.5% pass · 1,872 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.