Honda CB650
Real ownership data from 559 UK CB650 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common CB650 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 15.6% |
| Brakes | major | 12% |
| Tyres | fail | 5.7% |
| Other | fail | 5.4% |
| Suspension | major | 5.3% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 3.7% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 1.7% |
| Fluid leaks | fail | 1.4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is chain and sprockets.
CB650 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 8 | 8,184 mi | 918 | 97.3% |
| 2017 | 5 | 13,356 mi | 406 | 96.43% |
| 1999 | 6 | 30,039 mi | 2,097 | 79.41% |
| 1998 | 13 | 29,124 mi | 689 | 80.3% |
| 1997 | 6 | 42,942 mi | 206 | 89.47% |
| 1996 | 10 | 44,688 mi | 722 | 72.73% |
| 1995 | 11 | 35,269 mi | 465 | 90.79% |
| 1993 | 8 | 16,652 mi | 28 | 68.75% |
| 1992 | 14 | 29,235 mi | 1,048 | 73.49% |
| 1991 | 6 | 33,589 mi | 536 | 80.39% |
| 1985 | 22 | 35,444 mi | 351 | 84.05% |
| 1984 | 12 | 23,316 mi | 197 | 83.33% |
| 1983 | 41 | 29,529 mi | 192 | 79.51% |
| 1982 | 65 | 30,012 mi | 291 | 75.91% |
| 1981 | 119 | 30,396 mi | 290 | 77.39% |
| 1980 | 96 | 33,230 mi | 442 | 78.96% |
| 1979 | 70 | 37,526 mi | 204 | 82.33% |
CB650 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda CB650?
Across 559 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (15.6% of all recorded faults), brakes (12% of all recorded faults), tyres (5.7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda CB650?
The median Honda CB650 in the UK has covered 30,750 miles, and typically rides about 342 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 18,927 and 42,093 miles.
Is the Honda CB650 reliable?
79.91% of Honda CB650 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.45 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 559 Honda CB650 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.