Honda CB500
Real ownership data from 16,464 UK CB500 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common CB500 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | user entered | 16.4% |
| Frame and structure | fail | 16.4% |
| Fluid leaks | major | 11.1% |
| Fuel system | fail | 8.5% |
| Corrosion | fail | 7% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 3.5% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 1.5% |
| Exhaust and emissions | dangerous | 1.5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is tyres.
CB500 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 381 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 596 | 905 mi | — | 100% |
| 2024 | 827 | 2,906 mi | — | 100% |
| 2023 | 876 | 6,230 mi | 2,159 | 94.19% |
| 2022 | 737 | 7,638 mi | 1,591 | 95.23% |
| 2021 | 814 | 9,514 mi | 1,577 | 93.95% |
| 2020 | 831 | 10,534 mi | 1,463 | 93.38% |
| 2019 | 841 | 12,226 mi | 1,573 | 92.35% |
| 2018 | 84 | 11,970 mi | 1,431 | 92.22% |
| 2017 | 119 | 12,380 mi | 1,336 | 90.63% |
| 2016 | 181 | 17,526 mi | 1,580 | 88.18% |
| 2015 | 154 | 16,822 mi | 1,657 | 89.14% |
| 2014 | 153 | 17,086 mi | 1,528 | 92.46% |
| 2013 | 712 | 22,368 mi | 1,784 | 88.57% |
| 2012 | 5 | 15,426 mi | 48 | 82.35% |
| 2008 | 8 | 17,256 mi | 1,129 | 80.88% |
| 2007 | 14 | 26,630 mi | 1,424 | 84.44% |
| 2006 | 12 | 39,640 mi | 4,285 | 86.18% |
| 2004 | 6 | 27,925 mi | 18,230 | 86.36% |
| 2003 | 511 | 29,439 mi | 1,630 | 82.2% |
CB500 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda CB500?
Across 16,464 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are electrical (16.4% of all recorded faults), frame and structure (16.4% of all recorded faults), fluid leaks (11.1% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda CB500?
The median Honda CB500 in the UK has covered 24,232 miles, and typically rides about 1,462 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 11,009 and 42,168 miles.
Is the Honda CB500 reliable?
82.27% of Honda CB500 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 16,464 Honda CB500 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.