Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2004 Honda Cbf600?

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 2004 Honda Cbf600?

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 2004 Honda Cbf600?

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.

How many 2004 Honda Cbf600 vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

24% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2004 Honda Cbf600 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 1,071 vehicles, the 2004 Honda Cbf600 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 86.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2004 Honda Cbf600?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2004 Honda Cbf600 are: Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (83% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (60.1% of vehicles), Drive chain slightly loose (44.1% 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 2004 Honda Cbf600?

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.

CarHunch

Get Started

Honda Cbf600 (2004)

1,071 real MOT outcomes analysed • 86.5% first-time pass rate

2004 Honda Cbf600

CarHunch analysed 1,071 real MOT records for the 2004 Honda Cbf600. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

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 2004 Honda CBF600 passes its MOT at 86.5%, well above the UK average of 80%, and it's a genuinely solid middleweight—but one in four bikes in this cohort has recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is a material buyer concern you'll want to investigate on any used example. Diesel versus petrol isn't relevant for a motorcycle, and the 24% dangerous defect rate suggests you should factor in a pre-purchase inspection and full service history review.

At nearly 23,000 miles average for a 20-year-old machine, these bikes show typical usage rather than garage queens, and they're clocking up about 1.9 failures and 7.6 advisories per test—meaning maintenance items are cropping up but nothing catastrophic. Before committing, get a full mechanical inspection focusing on the areas flagged in advisory history, particularly around brakes and suspension wear typical of this age bracket.

The 2004 Honda Cbf600 passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (86.5%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 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

86.5%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

24%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.9

Over 13.4 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

20k

Middle half: 13k–30k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 86.5% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 7.6 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 1,071 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.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 1,071 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 83%

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm · …

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

Lighting 44.1%

Drive chain slightly loose · Headlamp aim too low

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

Brake wear 43.7%

Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Rear Brake disc(s) slightly worn · Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · …

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

Suspension & steering 37.6%

Steering movement slightly 'notchy' · Steering headbearing has slight free play

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

Other issues 15.2%

Drive chain worn but not considered excessive

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2004.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 1,071 Honda Cbf600 cars.

Before you buy a 2004 Honda Cbf600

Based on MOT data from 1,071 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 24% 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 4,089 Honda Cbf600 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 35%

1,433

Blue 24%

982

Black 20.8%

851

Red 9.5%

388

Grey 4%

163

White 2.6%

108

Yellow 2.6%

108

Green 0.5%

Orange 0.4%

Multi-colour 0.2%

Gold 0.2%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2004 Honda Cbf600 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.

19,801

typical

12,508

low mileage

29,909

high mileage

Half of all 2004 Honda Cbf600 vehicles fall between 12,508 and 29,909 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 12,508 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.

✓ 12,508–29,909 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2004 Honda Cbf600s sit.

⚠ Over 40,377 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2004 Honda Cbf600 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 48% of 2004 Honda Cbf600s are still active.

Numbers are declining — 343 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (48% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* 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

13.4

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.9

Avg failures per vehicle

7.6

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Honda Cbf600: All Cbf600 years → Which year to buy? →

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Or browse all models: Honda →

Compare with another model

See how the 2004 Honda Cbf600 stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?