Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1987 Honda Vision?

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 1987 Honda Vision?

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 1987 Honda Vision?

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 1987 Honda Vision reliable?

Based on MOT data from 269 vehicles, the 1987 Honda Vision has a first-time MOT pass rate of 82.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1987 Honda Vision?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1987 Honda Vision are: Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (24.3% of vehicles), Exhaust slightly deteriorated (15.4% of vehicles), Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (13.7% 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 1987 Honda Vision?

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 Vision (1987)

269 real MOT outcomes analysed • 82.9% first-time pass rate

1987 Honda Vision

CarHunch analysed 269 real MOT records for the 1987 Honda Vision. 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 1987 Honda Vision passes its MOT on the first attempt 82.9% of the time, marginally better than the UK average of 80%, suggesting these small bikes have held up reasonably well. The dangerous defect rate of 7.8% is low, so structural or safety concerns are not a significant worry for this cohort.

These Visions have covered very modest mileage for their age—a median of just 5,462 miles—which explains the above-average pass rate and suggests many are weekend or collector bikes rather than daily commuters. When failures do occur, they average 0.79 per vehicle with 1.7 advisories, typically minor wear items; budget for routine maintenance on any example you're considering, and have the brakes and tyres checked closely since 37-year-old rubber and pads may need renewal regardless of MOT status.

We have limited data for the 1987 Honda Vision — 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

82.9%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

7.8%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.79

Over 4.6 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

Middle half: 3k–8k

For context

These stats describe 269 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 269 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 24.3%

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Rear Tyre tread not clearly visible

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

Lighting 15.4%

Exhaust slightly deteriorated · Rear Wheel has a slightly distorted bead rim. · Front Wheel has a slightly distorted bead rim. · …

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

Suspension & steering 12.1%

Rear shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect · Rear shock absorber has inadequate damping effect. · Front wheel bearings are slightly rough · …

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

Exhaust & emissions 7.7%

Exhaust is leaking but is not excessively noisey · Exhaust is leaking and excessively noisey

Other issues 5.8%

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user

Brake wear 5.4%

Rear Brake lever has inadequate reserve travel · Rear Stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies

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

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1987.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 269 Honda Vision cars.

Before you buy a 1987 Honda Vision

Based on MOT data from 269 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 7.8% 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 2,343 Honda Vision vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Red 32.9%

770

White 23.1%

541

Blue 20.6%

483

Black 15.3%

358

Pink 2.8%

Grey 2.6%

Green 2%

Yellow 0.3%

Silver 0.2%

Purple 0.2%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1987 Honda Vision 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.

5,462

typical

3,328

low mileage

7,649

high mileage

Half of all 1987 Honda Vision vehicles fall between 3,328 and 7,649 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 3,328 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.

✓ 3,328–7,649 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1987 Honda Visions sit.

⚠ Over 10,326 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1987 Honda Vision — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 35% of 1987 Honda Visions are still active.

Numbers are declining — 16 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (35% 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

4.6

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.79

Avg failures per vehicle

1.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

Or browse all models: Honda →

Compare with another model

See how the 1987 Honda Vision stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?