HONDA XL 650 V-4

647cc Petrol Class 2

#2658 of 5426 overall #401 of 921 HONDAs #1672 of 2787 other bikes

84.3%

first-time pass rate

9.3%

failed outright

16,337

median miles at test

2,084

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The XL 650 V-4's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.8 points since 2007, 92.2% to 89.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 650 V-4's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 650 V-4 passes first time 89.4% of the time; by 50k that's 81.9%.

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-4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	115	36.3	1.0×
steering and suspension	43	13.6	0.6×
tyres and wheels	36	11.4	0.8×
lighting and signalling	35	11	0.4×
drive system	30	9.5	1.5×
structure and attachments	17	5.4	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	14	4.4	0.4×
tyres	10	3.2	0.6×
steering	10	3.2	0.9×
driving controls	7	2.2	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-4 beats 3 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-4.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (86.7% pass). Weakest: 2003 (80.9%).

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 650 V-4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 650 V-4 reliable?

The HONDA XL 650 V-4 is about average for its class: 84.3% of its 2,084 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2658 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 650 V-4 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed XL 650 V-4 tests.

What is the best year of XL 650 V-4 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (86.7%) and 2003 worst (80.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL 650 V-4 last?

The median XL 650 V-4 shows 16,337 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 81.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.