2008 Honda CB900 0.9L Petrol · AM58 WWB

A motorcycle of this vintage and type with eight recorded MOT tests, all of which returned a pass result and seven of which carried no advisories at all, presents a clean official roadworthiness profile on paper. The most recent examination on 22 September 2025 followed that pattern with no defects recorded, and the prior test on 24 September 2024 was similarly clean. Across the full eight-test history there are zero failures and a single advisory, issued on 12 March 2016, which concerned drive chain wear and the early onset of surface rust on chain steel attributed at the time to lack of use rather than mileage accumulation. Because the advisory wording itself referenced low usage and rust formation, and because nothing further has been flagged on the chain, sprockets, or related transmission components in the nine years since, the recorded evidence points to a stable rather than deteriorating mechanical trajectory within the limits of what MOT testing can reveal. The usage profile is, however, highly unusual and warrants careful consideration. The recorded mileage of 3,359 miles across approximately eighteen years equates to an average annual accumulation of only around 187 miles, with large gaps between tests — most notably the absence of any recorded MOT between April 2018 and September 2024, a period of roughly six and a half years during which the motorcycle was either off the public road, exempt from testing, or simply not presented. A second gap also sits between July 2017 and the end of that same year. Such extended periods of inactivity are mechanically significant: drive chains, sprockets, brake discs, caliper pistons and seals, fork oil, fuel system components, electrical contacts, and tyres all degrade through standing rather than use, and the 2016 advisory explicitly identified rust formation on chain steel as a direct consequence of low mileage. Even though no subsequent test has flagged these areas, the absence of an MOT entry during the long lay-up means there is no independent verification of condition across that interval. For a prospective buyer, the priority inspection areas are exactly those that suffer most from prolonged standing. The drive chain and both front and rear sprockets should be examined physically, not visually from a distance; look for stiff links that do not flex freely, corrosion pitting on the chain rollers and plates, and hooked or unevenly pointed sprocket teeth, any of which would indicate that the original 2016 advisory has progressed beyond a cosmetic concern. Brake calipers should be checked for binding by rocking the motorcycle forward and backward with the lever or pedal released and then re-applied to confirm smooth operation, and the brake discs should be inspected for surface rust that has progressed to pitting or lipping, particularly given the wet British climate. Tyres, which may be the original items or very old replacements, warrant close scrutiny for sidewall cracking, hardness of the rubber compound, and the DOT date code, as tyres older than five years become hard and lose grip regardless of tread depth. The long inactive period also raises questions about fuel system condition, battery state of health, and internal corrosion within the exhaust system and engine internals. On a test ride, listen for hesitation, misfire, or stumbling during the first few minutes as old fuel may have left varnish deposits in the carburettor or injectors; observe whether the engine smokes excessively on start-up or after warm-up, which can indicate oil passing through valve seals dried out during storage; and pay attention to any clonks or binding from the swinging arm pivot, suspension linkages, and steering head bearing, as grease in these joints can dry and harden during extended standing. A compression test and a physical inspection of the original chain, sprockets, brake discs, and brake hoses for age-related degradation would be prudent given the documented inactivity, and any sign of fluid leaks from the fork seals, master cylinders, or calipers should be treated as a likely consequence of the long storage period rather than as a recent fault.