BMW F 900 XR Te vs Honda VFR800 Fi

The BMW F 900 XR Te passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 95.8% vs 86.7%, a 9.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	BMW F 900 XR Te	Honda VFR800 Fi
First-time pass rate	95.8%	86.7%
Outright fail rate	2.0%	8.5%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+7.4 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	895cc	781cc
Rank among all models	#32 of 5428	#1985 of 5428
Median miles at test	7,904	26,212
MOT tests analysed	1,277	89,421
Most common failure	structure and attachments	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 F 900 XR Te	Honda VFR800 Fi
Brakes	0.8%	3.2%
Tyres & wheels	0.6%	2.3%
Steering & suspension	0.2%	2.6%
Lights & signalling	0%	2.4%
Structure & body	0.8%	0.4%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.5%
Drive system	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 F 900 XR Te	Honda VFR800 Fi
2023	95.3%	88.9%
2024	94.7%	88.9%
2025	97.0%	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 F 900 XR Te	Honda VFR800 Fi
0k-10k miles	96.0%	92.5%
10k-20k miles	95.3%	89.4%
20k-30k miles	98.0%	87.3%

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

BMW F 900 XR Te vs Honda VFR800 Fi FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the BMW F 900 XR Te or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

The BMW F 900 XR Te passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 95.8% vs 86.7%, a 9.1-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the BMW F 900 XR Te still comes out ahead: +7.4 points vs comparable bikes for the BMW F 900 XR Te, +4.5 for the Honda VFR800 Fi. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the BMW F 900 XR Te fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 0.8% of BMW F 900 XR Te MOT tests failed on it, then structure & body (0.8%).

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 F 900 XR Te or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

At 20k-30k miles the BMW F 900 XR Te passes first time more often: 98.0% for the BMW F 900 XR Te vs 87.3% for the Honda VFR800 Fi.

BMW F 900 XR TE 95.8% pass · 1,277 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.