HONDA XL 700 VA-A

680cc Petrol Class 2

#1448 of 5426 overall #174 of 921 HONDAs #881 of 2787 other bikes

88.5%

first-time pass rate

6.3%

failed outright

13,832

median miles at test

920

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2013–2025

The XL 700 VA-A's first-time pass rate has risen 6.0 points since 2013, 84.2% to 90.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XL 700 VA-A passes first time 92.3% of the time; by 30k 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-A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	26	26.3	0.4×
tyres and wheels	15	15.2	0.8×
structure and attachments	12	12.1	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	8	8.1	0.4×
tyres	8	8.1	1.1×
lighting and signalling	7	7.1	0.2×
drive system	7	7.1	0.6×
suspension	7	7.1	0.9×
steering and suspension	5	5.1	0.2×
steering	4	4	1.0×

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-A 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-A.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (90.9% pass). Weakest: 2010 (87.7%).

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-A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 700 VA-A reliable?

The HONDA XL 700 VA-A is more reliable than average for its class: 88.5% of its 920 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1448 of 5426 models.

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

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed XL 700 VA-A tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (90.9%) and 2012 worst (87.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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

The median XL 700 VA-A shows 13,832 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 80.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.