HONDA XL 1000 VA-4

996cc Petrol Class 2

#2089 of 5426 overall #288 of 921 HONDAs #1277 of 2787 other bikes

86.4%

first-time pass rate

8.8%

failed outright

22,190

median miles at test

788

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2019

The XL 1000 VA-4's first-time pass rate has risen 8.9 points since 2007, 85.0% to 93.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XL 1000 VA-4 passes first time 92.6% of the time; by 50k that's 74.3%.

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 VA-4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	37	29.4	0.9×
steering and suspension	20	15.9	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	15	11.9	0.6×
lighting and signalling	11	8.7	0.3×
structure and attachments	10	7.9	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	9	7.1	1.5×
tyres and wheels	8	6.3	0.5×
suspension	7	5.6	1.2×
drive system	5	4	0.9×
steering	4	3.2	1.2×

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 VA-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 VA-4.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (86.6% pass). Weakest: 2005 (85.8%).

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 VA-4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 1000 VA-4 reliable?

The HONDA XL 1000 VA-4 is about average for its class: 86.4% of its 788 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2089 of 5426 models.

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

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed XL 1000 VA-4 tests.

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

The median XL 1000 VA-4 shows 22,190 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 74.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.