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N961 CBU

1996 Honda CB500

Green Petrol 499cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Oct 2026
Tests32 (20 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

70,454 mi
Last recorded70,454 miles
Recorded on3 Oct 2025
Typical for 1996 Honda CB50033,174 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Honda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationN961 CBU
MakeHonda
ModelCB500
Year1996
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine499cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

20 pass 12 fail
Pass 3 Oct 2025 70,454 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Handlebar deformed but serviceable (2.2.1 (c) (i))

Rear Brake lining(s) close to minimum limit (1.1.13 (a))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 2 Oct 2024 69,063 miles

Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (1.1.13 (a))

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Handlebar deformed but serviceable (2.2.1 (c) (i))

Rear Brake lining(s) close to minimum limit (1.1.13 (a))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 25 Sep 2024 69,009 miles

Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect no damping at all (5.3.2 (b))

Drive chain slightly loose (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (1.1.13 (a))

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Handlebar deformed but serviceable (2.2.1 (c) (i))

Rear Brake lining(s) close to minimum limit (1.1.13 (a))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 15 Sep 2023 65,650 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2022 61,651 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened swing arm (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 13 Sep 2022 61,621 miles

Brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

Brake pedal insecure (1.1.2 (e) (i))

Drive chain excessively loose (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.0 mm thick (1.1.13 (a)) DANGEROUS

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 7 Sep 2021 56,344 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2020 51,540 miles

Steering headbearing has slight free play (2.2.2 (f) (i))

Fail 4 Sep 2020 51,540 miles

Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Stop lamp not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Steering headbearing has slight free play (2.2.2 (f) (i))

Pass 20 Aug 2019 45,931 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 20 Aug 2019 45,931 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (5.2.3 (e))

Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 10 Sep 2018 40,366 miles

headstock bearings have slight notch in the centre of the steering movement.

Fail 3 Sep 2018 40,283 miles

Front Brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Front Brake indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort (1.2.1 (e))

Throttle operating incorrectly sticking (6.2.7 (a) (i))

Registration plate slightly loose (0.1 (a))

headstock bearings have slight notch in the centre of the steering movement.

Pass 30 Aug 2017 34,228 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2017 33,843 miles

Front Brake disc(s) cracked brake disc has numerous cracks radiating from cooling holes to outer edge of disc (3.2.A1g)

Headlamp aim too low (1.6)

Roller brake test The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25%. (3.3.A2b)

Drive chain slightly tight chain links frozen (6.2.1d)

Pass 8 Aug 2016 26,405 miles

Rear Roller brake test indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort (3.3.A1d)

speedo drive stop on wrong side of fork lug, drive is still secure

Fail 8 Aug 2016 26,405 miles

Brake lever cannot be applied smoothly (3.1.3d)

Rear Roller brake test indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort (3.3.A1d)

speedo drive stop on wrong side of fork lug, drive is still secure

Pass 8 Sep 2015 24,244 miles
Pass 21 Aug 2014 23,854 miles

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.3(ii))

Fail 23 Jul 2013 21,602 miles

Front position lamp does not illuminate immediately when switched on (1.1.3a)

Pass 23 Jul 2013 21,602 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2012 19,667 miles
Pass 18 Jun 2011 19,544 miles

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.3(ii))

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.3(ii))

both tyres in pooor condition

Fail 18 Jun 2011 19,541 miles

Rear Tyre valve stem damaged which could cause sudden tyre deflation (4.1.2c)

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.3(ii))

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.3(ii))

both tyres in pooor condition

Fail 9 Mar 2010 19,133 miles

Drive chain slightly loose (6.2.1d)

Headlamp aim too low (1.6)

Rear wheel spindle securing nut locking device missing (2.4.A.2b)

Pass 9 Mar 2010 19,133 miles

Drive chain slightly loose (6.2.1d)

Pass 12 Nov 2008 18,820 miles

cracks in front tyre side wall

Fail 12 Nov 2008 18,820 miles

Headlamp aim too low (1.6)

cracks in front tyre side wall

Pass 5 Nov 2007 18,099 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2006 17,291 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2006 17,291 miles

Front wheel bearings have excessive free play (2.3.5b)

Pass 14 Oct 2005 15,637 miles

How Reliable is the Honda CB500?

Based on 77,271 MOT tests across 7,190 vehicles.

82.6%
Pass Rate
1,106
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
7,190
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil 1,526
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 1,227
Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 1,110
Stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies 808
Drive chain excessively loose 572
Full Honda CB500 reliability report

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N961 CBU is a 1996 Honda CB500 in Green with a 499cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 32 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

Across all 1996 Honda CB500 models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.1% with a typical mileage of 33,174 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Honda CB500 fails its MOT is shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil, accounting for 1,526 recorded failures. If you're considering buying N961 CBU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Honda CB500 typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 30 years old, this Honda CB500 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of N961 CBU?

You can check the full history of N961 CBU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N961 CBU registered?

N961 CBU is a 1996 Honda CB500, first registered on 24 May 1996.

Is N961 CBU safe to buy?

The MOT history for N961 CBU shows 32 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N961 CBU have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on N961 CBU. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.