Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2005 Honda St1300?

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 2005 Honda St1300?

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 2005 Honda St1300?

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 2005 Honda St1300 vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

23% 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 2005 Honda St1300 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 659 vehicles, the 2005 Honda St1300 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 90.6%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2005 Honda St1300?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2005 Honda St1300 are: Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (79.6% of vehicles), Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (74.2% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (70.9% 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 2005 Honda St1300?

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 St1300 (2005)

659 real MOT outcomes analysed • 90.6% first-time pass rate

2005 Honda St1300

CarHunch analysed 659 real MOT records for the 2005 Honda St1300. 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 Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2005 Honda ST1300 is notably reliable, passing its MOT first time 90.2% of the time—well above the UK average of 80%. However, one in five of these bikes (22.5%) have picked up a dangerous defect at some point, which is a meaningful concern for a prospective buyer and warrants a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

With a median mileage of 31,001 miles for a 19-year-old machine, these are well-used touring bikes, yet they're still turning up with an average of 5.8 advisories and 1.36 failures per test. Before buying, have a specialist mechanic inspect the fuel system, brakes, and suspension—the advisories suggest these are the typical wear points on ageing ST1300s.

The 2005 Honda St1300 passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (90.6%) — 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

90.6%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

22.5%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.36

Over 13.6 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

31k

Middle half: 20k–48k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 90.6% 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 5.8 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 659 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 659 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 79.6%

Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick · …

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

Tyre wear 74.2%

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

Suspension & steering 10.1%

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil · Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil

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 2005.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 659 Honda St1300 cars.

Before you buy a 2005 Honda St1300

Based on MOT data from 659 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 22.5% 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

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (100%)	656	90.6%	1.36

Colour Breakdown

Based on 4,131 Honda St1300 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 37.3%

1,540

Red 29.5%

1,217

White 10.2%

423

Blue 8.2%

340

Green 8.2%

337

Black 5%

208

Grey 1%

Yellow 0.5%

Maroon 0.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2005 Honda St1300 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.

31,001

typical

20,396

low mileage

47,726

high mileage

Half of all 2005 Honda St1300 vehicles fall between 20,396 and 47,726 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 20,396 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.

✓ 20,396–47,726 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2005 Honda St1300s sit.

⚠ Over 64,430 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2005 Honda St1300 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 61% of 2005 Honda St1300s are still active.

293 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 61% of the peak remain.

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

13.6

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.36

Avg failures per vehicle

5.8

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Honda St1300: All St1300 years → Which year to buy? →

2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2009

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See how the 2005 Honda St1300 stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?