Honda
12,576 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Cbrs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.2 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.7%
Pass-after-fix
5.5%
Fail
8.4%
Avg miles
16,109
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 12,568 tests
Pass rate climbs 7.8 points across the cohorts — newer Cbr examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
84.7%
Fail
9.0%
PRS
5.9%
Avg mileage at test
17,156 mi
Pass
92.4%
Fail
4.3%
PRS
3.1%
Avg mileage at test
9,642 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 9,430 MOT tests, the Cbr returns 85.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a non-functioning shock absorber. Tyre tread under the limit and brake pads worn below 1.0 mm round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 14,834, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
10–26
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A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
144 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
123 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
103 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
80 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
66 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
63 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A transmission belt, chain, sprocket or pulley excessively loose or worn
59 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
55 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
53 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Rate of flashing not between 60 and 120 times per minute
49 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£230–£445
If every one of this Cbr's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 7.8-point gap between bands means the year you buy Honda Cbr has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
92.4%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 92.4% — a 7.8-point improvement. Tests in this band average 9,642 miles — roughly 8K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a serious fluid leak, tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
84.7%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 84.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.4% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a serious fluid leak, tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, and less than 1.0 mm thick. Average mileage on test for this band is 17,156 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (92.4% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (84.7% pass). That's a 7.8-point spread across 10,838 older tests and 1,730 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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Draper
Draper Drain Plug Key, 3/8 Square x 3/8 Sq. Dr.
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Hycote
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Cbr and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
