Triumph T120 vs Honda VFR800 Fi

The Triumph T120 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 91.1% vs 86.7%, a 4.4-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Triumph T120	Honda VFR800 Fi
First-time pass rate	91.1%	86.7%
Outright fail rate	3.3%	8.5%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.9 pts	+4.5 pts
Engine size	650cc	781cc
Rank among all models	#659 of 5428	#1985 of 5428
Median miles at test	8,155	26,212
MOT tests analysed	5,037	89,421
Most common failure	steering and suspension	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	Triumph T120	Honda VFR800 Fi
Steering & suspension	1.6%	2.6%
Brakes	0.6%	3.2%
Lights & signalling	1.3%	2.4%
Tyres & wheels	0.5%	2.3%
Fuel & exhaust	0.4%	0.5%
Drive system	0.2%	0.4%
Structure & body	0.2%	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	Triumph T120	Honda VFR800 Fi
2012	89.1%	85.5%
2013	90.9%	85.1%
2014	89.8%	85.0%
2015	92.6%	86.5%
2016	93.6%	86.9%
2017	91.9%	86.5%
2018	93.3%	86.1%
2019	94.4%	86.6%

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	Triumph T120	Honda VFR800 Fi
0k-10k miles	91.1%	92.5%
10k-20k miles	91.8%	89.4%
20k-30k miles	90.3%	87.3%
30k-40k miles	91.2%	85.5%
40k-50k miles	92.5%	83.5%
50k-60k miles	93.7%	81.4%

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

Triumph T120 vs Honda VFR800 Fi FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Triumph T120 or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

The Triumph T120 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda VFR800 Fi: 91.1% vs 86.7%, a 4.4-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class the two are level (+4.9 vs +4.5 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 Triumph T120 fail its MOT on most?

Steering & suspension: 1.6% of Triumph T120 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (1.3%).

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 Triumph T120 or the Honda VFR800 Fi?

At 50k-60k miles the Triumph T120 passes first time more often: 93.7% for the Triumph T120 vs 81.4% for the Honda VFR800 Fi.

TRIUMPH T120 91.1% pass · 5,037 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.