Kawasaki Er 650 CBF vs Honda VFR800 Fi

The Honda VFR800 Fi passes its MOT first time more often than the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF: 86.7% vs 86.5%, a 0.2-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Honda VFR800 Fi
First-time pass rate	86.5%	86.7%
Outright fail rate	7.6%	8.5%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+0.5 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	649cc	781cc
Rank among all models	#2052 of 5428	#1985 of 5428
Median miles at test	13,097	26,212
MOT tests analysed	1,664	89,421
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	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Honda VFR800 Fi
Lights & signalling	3.4%	2.4%
Brakes	1.9%	3.2%
Tyres & wheels	2.0%	2.3%
Steering & suspension	1.5%	2.6%
Structure & body	1.0%	0.4%
Drive system	0.7%	0.4%
Fuel & exhaust	0.2%	0.5%

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	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Honda VFR800 Fi
2018	86.9%	86.1%
2019	81.5%	86.6%
2020	90.9%	87.0%
2021	83.3%	87.3%
2022	84.2%	87.1%
2023	85.0%	88.9%
2024	80.2%	88.9%
2025	85.6%	88.2%

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	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Honda VFR800 Fi
0k-10k miles	91.0%	92.5%
10k-20k miles	86.1%	89.4%
20k-30k miles	85.2%	87.3%
30k-40k miles	77.4%	85.5%

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

Kawasaki Er 650 CBF vs Honda VFR800 Fi FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

The Honda VFR800 Fi passes its MOT first time more often than the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF: 86.7% vs 86.5%, a 0.2-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda VFR800 Fi still comes out ahead: +0.5 points vs comparable bikes for the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF, +4.5 for the Honda VFR800 Fi. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.4% of Kawasaki Er 650 CBF MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (2.0%).

What does the Honda VFR800 Fi fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 3.2% of Honda VFR800 Fi MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (2.6%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

At 30k-40k miles the Honda VFR800 Fi passes first time more often: 77.4% for the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF vs 85.5% for the Honda VFR800 Fi.

KAWASAKI ER 650 CBF 86.5% pass · 1,664 tests HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k tests

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