HONDA XL 650 V-3

647cc Petrol Class 2

#3199 of 5426 overall #529 of 921 HONDAs #2032 of 2787 other bikes

81.9%

first-time pass rate

11.5%

failed outright

17,491

median miles at test

923

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2023

The XL 650 V-3's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.5 points since 2006, 83.3% to 75.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 650 V-3's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 650 V-3 passes first time 87.9% of the time; by 50k that's 78.4%.

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 650 V-3

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	67	31.8	1.1×
lighting and signalling	52	24.6	1.0×
steering and suspension	39	18.5	1.2×
tyres and wheels	18	8.5	0.7×
drive system	11	5.2	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	9	4.3	0.6×
structure and attachments	5	2.4	0.5×
tyres	4	1.9	0.5×
reg plates and vin	3	1.4	0.6×
driving controls	3	1.4	1.4×

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 650 V-3 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 650 V-3.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (82.6% pass). Weakest: 2003 (82.0%).

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 650 V-3 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 650 V-3 reliable?

The HONDA XL 650 V-3 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.9% of its 923 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3199 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 650 V-3 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed XL 650 V-3 tests.

How many miles will a XL 650 V-3 last?

The median XL 650 V-3 shows 17,491 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 78.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.