Bsa Thunderbolt vs Honda VFR800 Fi

The Bsa Thunderbolt passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 91.3% vs 86.7%, a 4.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Bsa Thunderbolt	Honda VFR800 Fi
First-time pass rate	91.3%	86.7%
Outright fail rate	2.8%	8.5%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.8 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	650cc	781cc
Rank among all models	#619 of 5428	#1985 of 5428
Median miles at test	14,610	26,212
MOT tests analysed	1,097	89,421
Most common failure	steering and suspension	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	Bsa Thunderbolt	Honda VFR800 Fi
Brakes	0.7%	3.2%
Steering & suspension	1.1%	2.6%
Lights & signalling	0.9%	2.4%
Tyres & wheels	0.4%	2.3%
Structure & body	0.5%	0.4%
Fuel & exhaust	0.3%	0.5%
Drive system	0.2%	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	Bsa Thunderbolt	Honda VFR800 Fi
2010	92.0%	85.7%
2011	93.5%	85.4%
2012	88.6%	85.5%
2013	95.5%	85.1%
2014	90.1%	85.0%
2015	94.8%	86.5%
2016	94.5%	86.9%
2017	90.9%	86.5%

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	Bsa Thunderbolt	Honda VFR800 Fi
0k-10k miles	90.0%	92.5%
10k-20k miles	92.6%	89.4%
20k-30k miles	91.2%	87.3%
30k-40k miles	91.9%	85.5%
40k-50k miles	96.8%	83.5%

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

Bsa Thunderbolt vs Honda VFR800 Fi FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Bsa Thunderbolt or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

The Bsa Thunderbolt passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 91.3% vs 86.7%, a 4.6-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+4.8 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 Bsa Thunderbolt fail its MOT on most?

Steering & suspension: 1.1% of Bsa Thunderbolt MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (0.9%).

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 Bsa Thunderbolt or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

At 40k-50k miles the Bsa Thunderbolt passes first time more often: 96.8% for the Bsa Thunderbolt vs 83.5% for the Honda VFR800 Fi.

BSA THUNDERBOLT 91.3% pass · 1,097 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.