Honda CB1300 vs BMW R Ninet

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	Honda CB1300	BMW R Ninet
First-time pass rate	89.3%	92.7%
Outright fail rate	5.0%	2.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.5 pts	+3.8 pts
Engine size	1,284cc	1,170cc
Rank among all models	#1180 of 5428	#344 of 5428
Median miles at test	15,887	5,255
MOT tests analysed	25,878	18,334
Most common failure	brakes	lamps and reflectors

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 CB1300	BMW R Ninet
Lights & signalling	1.6%	1.3%
Brakes	1.4%	0.5%
Tyres & wheels	1.5%	0.4%
Steering & suspension	1.5%	0.2%
Structure & body	0.2%	0.2%
Fuel & exhaust	0.2%	0%
Drive system	0.1%	0%

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

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

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

Honda CB1300 vs BMW R Ninet FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

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

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 (+4.5 vs +3.8 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 Honda CB1300 fail its MOT on most?

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

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%).

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

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

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

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