Honda VT 1300 CX-A vs BMW R1150

The Honda VT 1300 CX-A passes its MOT first time more often than the BMW R1150: 93.7% vs 88.5%, a 5.2-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda VT 1300 CX-A	BMW R1150
First-time pass rate	93.7%	88.5%
Outright fail rate	2.8%	6.8%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+5.9 pts	+6.7 pts
Engine size	1,312cc	1,130cc
Rank among all models	#214 of 5428	#1449 of 5428
Median miles at test	6,339	33,151
MOT tests analysed	1,484	170,963
Most common failure	lamps and reflectors	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 VT 1300 CX-A	BMW R1150
Brakes	0.5%	2.9%
Lights & signalling	0.8%	2.4%
Tyres & wheels	1.0%	1.7%
Steering & suspension	0%	1.4%
Fuel & exhaust	0.3%	0.1%
Structure & body	0.1%	0.2%

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 VT 1300 CX-A	BMW R1150
2018	96.7%	88.1%
2019	96.5%	88.3%
2020	92.6%	88.0%
2021	91.0%	87.9%
2022	96.1%	88.6%
2023	91.7%	89.1%
2024	95.8%	88.1%
2025	90.9%	89.1%

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 VT 1300 CX-A	BMW R1150
0k-10k miles	93.6%	92.9%
10k-20k miles	94.1%	92.1%
20k-30k miles	93.4%	90.1%

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

Honda VT 1300 CX-A vs BMW R1150 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda VT 1300 CX-A or the BMW R1150?

The Honda VT 1300 CX-A passes its MOT first time more often than the BMW R1150: 93.7% vs 88.5%, a 5.2-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+5.9 vs +6.7 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 VT 1300 CX-A fail its MOT on most?

Tyres & wheels: 1.0% of Honda VT 1300 CX-A MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (0.8%).

What does the BMW R1150 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 2.9% of BMW R1150 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (2.4%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Honda VT 1300 CX-A or the BMW R1150?

At 20k-30k miles the Honda VT 1300 CX-A passes first time more often: 93.4% for the Honda VT 1300 CX-A vs 90.1% for the BMW R1150.

HONDA VT 1300 CX-A 93.7% pass · 1,484 tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests

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