HONDA XL 650 V-6

647cc Petrol Class 2

#2172 of 5426 overall #305 of 921 HONDAs #1342 of 2787 other bikes

86.1%

first-time pass rate

8.1%

failed outright

16,624

median miles at test

2,988

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2025

The XL 650 V-6's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2009 (85.2% → 85.8%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 650 V-6's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 650 V-6 passes first time 89.0% of the time; by 50k that's 93.3%.

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 650 V-6

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	138	34	0.9×
steering and suspension	49	12.1	0.5×
lighting and signalling	47	11.6	0.4×
tyres and wheels	47	11.6	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	36	8.9	0.6×
drive system	28	6.9	0.9×
structure and attachments	25	6.2	0.9×
tyres	14	3.4	0.5×
steering	13	3.2	1.0×
suspension	9	2.2	0.3×

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-6 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-6.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (86.6% pass). Weakest: 2008 (81.6%).

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-6 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 650 V-6 reliable?

The HONDA XL 650 V-6 is about average for its class: 86.1% of its 2,988 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2172 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 650 V-6 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 34% of all defects recorded against failed XL 650 V-6 tests.

What is the best year of XL 650 V-6 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (86.6%) and 2008 worst (81.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL 650 V-6 last?

The median XL 650 V-6 shows 16,624 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.