Honda CB 1300 Sa-A vs BMW R1200

The Honda CB 1300 Sa-A passes its MOT first time more often than the BMW R1200: 95.9% vs 92.9%, a 3.0-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda CB 1300 Sa-A	BMW R1200
First-time pass rate	95.9%	92.9%
Outright fail rate	2.0%	3.7%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+9.8 pts	+8.6 pts
Engine size	1,284cc	1,170cc
Rank among all models	#28 of 5428	#315 of 5428
Median miles at test	11,644	20,069
MOT tests analysed	509	299,381
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	Honda CB 1300 Sa-A	BMW R1200
Brakes	0.6%	1.5%
Tyres & wheels	0.4%	1.0%
Steering & suspension	0.6%	0.7%
Lights & signalling	0%	0.9%
Structure & body	0.2%	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	Honda CB 1300 Sa-A	BMW R1200
2018	97.8%	93.0%
2019	94.4%	93.6%
2020	94.3%	94.0%
2021	95.5%	93.9%
2022	95.3%	93.8%
2023	97.6%	94.1%
2024	94.3%	94.0%
2025	97.1%	94.2%

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	Honda CB 1300 Sa-A	BMW R1200
0k-10k miles	98.1%	94.8%
10k-20k miles	94.7%	93.7%
20k-30k miles	96.3%	92.8%

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

Honda CB 1300 Sa-A vs BMW R1200 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda CB 1300 Sa-A or the BMW R1200?

The Honda CB 1300 Sa-A passes its MOT first time more often than the BMW R1200: 95.9% vs 92.9%, a 3.0-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda CB 1300 Sa-A still comes out ahead: +9.8 points vs comparable bikes for the Honda CB 1300 Sa-A, +8.6 for the BMW R1200. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Honda CB 1300 Sa-A fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 0.6% of Honda CB 1300 Sa-A MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (0.6%).

What does the BMW R1200 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 1.5% of BMW R1200 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.0%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Honda CB 1300 Sa-A or the BMW R1200?

At 20k-30k miles the Honda CB 1300 Sa-A passes first time more often: 96.3% for the Honda CB 1300 Sa-A vs 92.8% for the BMW R1200.

HONDA CB 1300 SA-A 95.9% pass · 509 tests BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests

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