HONDA XL 1000 VA-8

996cc Petrol Class 2

#919 of 5426 overall #104 of 921 HONDAs #560 of 2787 other bikes

90.1%

first-time pass rate

5.8%

failed outright

15,779

median miles at test

617

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2021

The XL 1000 VA-8's first-time pass rate has risen 2.9 points since 2011, 90.4% to 93.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 1000 VA-8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 1000 VA-8 passes first time 94.4% of the time; by 30k that's 90.6%.

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-8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	24	37.5	0.7×
tyres and wheels	11	17.2	0.8×
lighting and signalling	7	10.9	0.3×
drive system	4	6.2	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	4	6.2	0.4×
steering and suspension	3	4.7	0.1×
reg plates and vin	3	4.7	0.6×
structure and attachments	3	4.7	0.2×
tyres	3	4.7	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	2	3.1	0.4×

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-8 beats 3 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-8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (93.8% pass). Weakest: 2008 (87.9%).

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-8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 1000 VA-8 reliable?

The HONDA XL 1000 VA-8 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.1% of its 617 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #919 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 1000 VA-8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 38% of all defects recorded against failed XL 1000 VA-8 tests.

How many miles will a XL 1000 VA-8 last?

The median XL 1000 VA-8 shows 15,779 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 90.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.