Honda SH 300 A-K vs Yamaha RD350

The Honda SH 300 A-K passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 93.2% vs 86.3%, a 6.9-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda SH 300 A-K	Yamaha RD350
First-time pass rate	93.2%	86.3%
Outright fail rate	3.9%	6.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.9 pts	+2.4 pts
Engine size	279cc	347cc
Rank among all models	#264 of 5428	#2120 of 5428
Median miles at test	4,221	23,256
MOT tests analysed	512	19,574
Most common failure	brakes	lighting and signalling

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 SH 300 A-K	Yamaha RD350
Brakes	1.6%	2.7%
Lights & signalling	0.8%	3.2%
Steering & suspension	0.8%	2.5%
Tyres & wheels	1.6%	0.9%
Drive system	0%	0.5%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.4%
Structure & body	0%	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	Honda SH 300 A-K	Yamaha RD350
2022	90.3%	90.5%
2023	95.7%	92.2%
2024	91.3%	94.8%
2025	94.6%	93.5%

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	Honda SH 300 A-K	Yamaha RD350
0k-10k miles	95.3%	88.9%
10k-20k miles	90.8%	87.5%

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

Honda SH 300 A-K vs Yamaha RD350 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda SH 300 A-K or the Yamaha RD350?

The Honda SH 300 A-K passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha RD350: 93.2% vs 86.3%, a 6.9-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda SH 300 A-K still comes out ahead: +4.9 points vs comparable bikes for the Honda SH 300 A-K, +2.4 for the Yamaha RD350. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Honda SH 300 A-K fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 1.6% of Honda SH 300 A-K MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.6%).

What does the Yamaha RD350 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.2% of Yamaha RD350 MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (2.7%).

HONDA SH 300 A-K 93.2% pass · 512 tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests

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