Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1982 Honda Cb900?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 1982 Honda Cb900?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 1982 Honda Cb900?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 1982 Honda Cb900 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 206 vehicles, the 1982 Honda Cb900 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1982 Honda Cb900?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1982 Honda Cb900 are: Exhaust noisy (19.8% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (13.8% of vehicles), Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (13.8% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 1982 Honda Cb900?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Honda Cb900 (1982)

206 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.5% first-time pass rate

1982 Honda Cb900

CarHunch analysed 206 real MOT records for the 1982 Honda Cb900. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 1982 Honda CB900 passes its MOT first time in 85.5% of cases, which is a solid 5.5 percentage points above the UK average—these bikes are generally well-maintained. Only 7.3% ever recorded a dangerous defect, which is reassuring for a machine now over 40 years old.

At a median mileage of 34,465, these examples have been ridden fairly gently for their age, and that restraint shows in the average of just 0.83 failures per test. If you're considering one, prioritise a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the advisories (averaging 2.0 per bike)—typically wear items like brakes, lights, and cables—since addressing those now is far cheaper than ignoring them.

We have limited data for the 1982 Honda Cb900 — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Around 1 in 20 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

85.5%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

7.3%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.84

Over 5 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

34k

Middle half: 22k–47k

For context

These stats describe 206 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

A solid choice — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 206 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Exhaust & emissions 19.8%

Exhaust noisy · Exhaust is leaking but is not excessively noisey

Tyre wear 13.8%

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 10.7%

Front Roller brake test indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort · Rear Roller brake test indicates a binding brake · Front Roller brake test indicates a binding brake · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Lighting 8.5%

Headlamp aim too high · Headlamp aim too low · Wheel alignment slightly misaligned. · …

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Suspension & steering 7.6%

Nearside Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion · Offside Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion · Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1982.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 206 Honda Cb900 cars.

Before you buy a 1982 Honda Cb900

Based on MOT data from 206 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 7.3% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 2,580 Honda Cb900 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 30.1%

776

Silver 24.3%

628

Black 23.2%

599

Red 14.1%

365

White 2.9%

Grey 1%

Orange 0.9%

Yellow 0.9%

Maroon 0.7%

Purple 0.7%

Multi-colour 0.6%

Brown 0.5%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1982 Honda Cb900 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

34,465

typical

21,792

low mileage

46,583

high mileage

Half of all 1982 Honda Cb900 vehicles fall between 21,792 and 46,583 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 21,792 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 21,792–46,583 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1982 Honda Cb900s sit.

⚠ Over 62,887 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1982 Honda Cb900 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 67% of 1982 Honda Cb900s are still active.

31 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2022 — 67% of the peak remain.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2022.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.84

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Honda Cb900: All Cb900 years → Which year to buy? →

1980 1981 2002 2003 2004 2005

Or browse all models: Honda →

Compare with another model

See how the 1982 Honda Cb900 stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?