BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Yamaha XSR 900 Abarth (mtm 850) vs Honda CB600 Hornet

The Yamaha XSR 900 Abarth (mtm 850) passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda CB600 Hornet: 93.2% vs 78.6%, a 14.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric Yamaha XSR 900 Abarth (mtm 850) Honda CB600 Hornet
First-time pass rate 93.2% 78.6%
Outright fail rate 1.6% 12.2%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) +3.0 pts -4.8 pts
Engine size 847cc 599cc
Rank among all models #264 of 5428 #3832 of 5428
Median miles at test 3,942 20,837
MOT tests analysed 370 26,392
Most common failure Identification of the vehicle 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.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested
Test year Yamaha XSR 900 Abarth (mtm 850) Honda CB600 Hornet
2020 97.2% 78.7%
2021 92.3% 80.2%
2022 93.4% 80.9%
2023 88.9% 77.5%
2024 96.2% 79.9%
2025 92.7% 81.3%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

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