HONDA XL 700 VA-8

680cc Petrol Class 2

#1541 of 5426 overall #197 of 921 HONDAs #936 of 2787 other bikes

88.2%

first-time pass rate

6.4%

failed outright

15,835

median miles at test

3,507

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The XL 700 VA-8's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2011 (89.1% → 88.6%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 700 VA-8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 700 VA-8 passes first time 92.4% of the time; by 50k that's 83.7%.

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 700 VA-8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	91	22.9	0.5×
steering and suspension	71	17.8	0.5×
lighting and signalling	49	12.3	0.3×
drive system	45	11.3	1.4×
tyres and wheels	44	11.1	0.6×
suspension	29	7.3	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	23	5.8	0.3×
structure and attachments	18	4.5	0.7×
steering	16	4	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	12	3	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 700 VA-8 beats 4 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 700 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 (92.1% pass). Weakest: 2008 (87.0%).

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 700 VA-8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 700 VA-8 reliable?

The HONDA XL 700 VA-8 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.2% of its 3,507 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1541 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 700 VA-8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 23% of all defects recorded against failed XL 700 VA-8 tests.

What is the best year of XL 700 VA-8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (92.1%) and 2008 worst (87.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL 700 VA-8 last?

The median XL 700 VA-8 shows 15,835 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.