BMW R Ninet vs Honda CB1300

The BMW R Ninet passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda CB1300: 92.7% vs 89.3%, a 3.4-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	BMW R Ninet	Honda CB1300
First-time pass rate	92.7%	89.3%
Outright fail rate	2.6%	5.0%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+3.8 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	1,170cc	1,284cc
Rank among all models	#344 of 5428	#1180 of 5428
Median miles at test	5,255	15,887
MOT tests analysed	18,334	25,878
Most common failure	lamps and reflectors	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 R Ninet	Honda CB1300
Lights & signalling	1.3%	1.6%
Brakes	0.5%	1.4%
Tyres & wheels	0.4%	1.5%
Steering & suspension	0.2%	1.5%
Structure & body	0.2%	0.2%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.2%
Drive system	0%	0.1%

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 R Ninet	Honda CB1300
2018	93.3%	89.7%
2019	91.3%	89.7%
2020	92.4%	89.5%
2021	91.1%	88.7%
2022	92.3%	89.5%
2023	92.5%	89.2%
2024	93.4%	90.4%
2025	94.1%	90.4%

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 R Ninet	Honda CB1300
0k-10k miles	92.7%	91.9%
10k-20k miles	92.1%	90.2%
20k-30k miles	90.4%	87.8%
30k-40k miles	88.4%	84.9%
40k-50k miles	93.5%	84.8%

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

BMW R Ninet vs Honda CB1300 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the BMW R Ninet or the Honda CB1300?

The BMW R Ninet passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda CB1300: 92.7% vs 89.3%, a 3.4-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+3.8 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 R Ninet fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.3% of BMW R Ninet MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (0.5%).

What does the Honda CB1300 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.6% of Honda CB1300 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.5%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the BMW R Ninet or the Honda CB1300?

At 40k-50k miles the BMW R Ninet passes first time more often: 93.5% for the BMW R Ninet vs 84.8% for the Honda CB1300.

BMW R nineT 92.7% pass · 18.3k tests HONDA CB1300 89.3% pass · 25.9k tests

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