HONDA XL 700 VA-9

680cc Petrol Class 2

#1212 of 5426 overall #142 of 921 HONDAs #743 of 2787 other bikes

89.2%

first-time pass rate

6.1%

failed outright

16,818

median miles at test

2,344

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2012–2025

The XL 700 VA-9's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.0 points since 2012, 93.8% to 87.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 700 VA-9's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL 700 VA-9 passes first time 95.0% of the time; by 50k that's 80.0%.

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-9

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	61	29	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	32	15.2	0.7×
lighting and signalling	24	11.4	0.2×
tyres and wheels	23	11	0.4×
steering and suspension	16	7.6	0.2×
suspension	16	7.6	0.7×
drive system	13	6.2	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	9	4.3	0.4×
steering	8	3.8	0.8×
tyres	8	3.8	0.5×

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-9 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-9.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (90.1% pass). Weakest: 2009 (88.3%).

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-9 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 700 VA-9 reliable?

The HONDA XL 700 VA-9 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.2% of its 2,344 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1212 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 700 VA-9 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed XL 700 VA-9 tests.

How many miles will a XL 700 VA-9 last?

The median XL 700 VA-9 shows 16,818 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.