HONDA XL 1000 V-4

996cc Petrol Class 2

#1506 of 5426 overall #189 of 921 HONDAs #915 of 2787 other bikes

88.3%

first-time pass rate

7.0%

failed outright

20,283

median miles at test

669

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2017

The XL 1000 V-4's first-time pass rate has risen 2.0 points since 2007, 91.8% to 93.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 1000 V-4's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 1000 V-4 passes first time 88.0% of the time; by 40k that's 91.3%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a XL 1000 V-4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	22	27.8	0.6×
steering and suspension	16	20.3	0.7×
tyres and wheels	8	10.1	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	6	7.6	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	6	7.6	0.5×
lighting and signalling	6	7.6	0.2×
tyres	4	5.1	0.9×
drive system	4	5.1	0.8×
suspension	4	5.1	0.6×
steering	3	3.8	1.1×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the XL 1000 V-4 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the XL 1000 V-4.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2005 (92.5% pass). Weakest: 2004 (86.7%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

HONDA XL 1000 V-4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 1000 V-4 reliable?

The HONDA XL 1000 V-4 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.3% of its 669 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1506 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 1000 V-4 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed XL 1000 V-4 tests.

What is the best year of XL 1000 V-4 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (92.5%) and 2004 worst (86.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL 1000 V-4 last?

The median XL 1000 V-4 shows 20,283 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 91.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.