Honda CMX 500 A-L vs Yamaha FZS600

The Honda CMX 500 A-L passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FZS600: 94.0% vs 82.6%, a 11.4-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda CMX 500 A-L	Yamaha FZS600
First-time pass rate	94.0%	82.6%
Outright fail rate	2.4%	10.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.6 pts	-0.8 pts
Engine size	471cc	599cc
Rank among all models	#172 of 5428	#3052 of 5428
Median miles at test	4,157	21,612
MOT tests analysed	714	136,558
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	Honda CMX 500 A-L	Yamaha FZS600
Brakes	0.7%	4.5%
Lights & signalling	0.6%	3.4%
Tyres & wheels	0.7%	2.9%
Steering & suspension	0.1%	2.7%
Structure & body	1.1%	1.1%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	1.1%
Drive system	0%	0.9%

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 CMX 500 A-L	Yamaha FZS600
2023	96.9%	84.2%
2024	91.2%	83.3%
2025	95.5%	84.0%

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 CMX 500 A-L	Yamaha FZS600
0k-10k miles	95.3%	89.6%
10k-20k miles	87.8%	85.5%

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

Honda CMX 500 A-L vs Yamaha FZS600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda CMX 500 A-L or the Yamaha FZS600?

The Honda CMX 500 A-L passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FZS600: 94.0% vs 82.6%, a 11.4-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda CMX 500 A-L still comes out ahead: +4.6 points vs comparable bikes for the Honda CMX 500 A-L, -0.8 for the Yamaha FZS600. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Honda CMX 500 A-L fail its MOT on most?

Structure & body: 1.1% of Honda CMX 500 A-L MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (0.7%).

What does the Yamaha FZS600 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 4.5% of Yamaha FZS600 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (3.4%).

HONDA CMX 500 A-L 94.0% pass · 714 tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests

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