Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Honda XL: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which XL years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 82.4% average, from 2,905 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 2012 (97.1% of 69 tests). Lowest: 2016 (71.8% of 124). Years more than two points below the model average: 1979, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 2006, 2016.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (82.4%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 71 | 76.1% | -6.3 pp |
| 1980 | 110 | 78.2% | -4.2 pp |
| 1981 | 114 | 85.1% | +2.7 pp |
| 1982 | 153 | 78.4% | -4.0 pp |
| 1985 | 121 | 76.9% | -5.5 pp |
| 1986 | 63 | 76.2% | -6.2 pp |
| 1988 | 87 | 78.2% | -4.2 pp |
| 1992 | 62 | 83.9% | +1.5 pp |
| 2003 | 72 | 93.1% | +10.7 pp |
| 2004 | 106 | 93.4% | +11.0 pp |
| 2005 | 60 | 86.7% | +4.3 pp |
| 2006 | 52 | 75.0% | -7.4 pp |
| 2007 | 146 | 80.8% | -1.6 pp |
| 2008 | 195 | 82.6% | +0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 67 | 80.6% | -1.8 pp |
| 2010 | 110 | 86.4% | +4.0 pp |
| 2011 | 70 | 82.9% | +0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 69 | 97.1% | +14.7 pp |
| 2013 | 59 | 91.5% | +9.1 pp |
| 2014 | 67 | 89.6% | +7.2 pp |
| 2016 | 124 | 71.8% | -10.6 pp |
| 2017 | 302 | 85.1% | +2.7 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which XL years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1979, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 2006, 2016 registered examples pass first time less often than the Honda XL overall (82.4%); the 2016 cohort is lowest at 71.8% from 124 tests.
- Which XL year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 2012, at 97.1% of 69 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1981, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017.
- How much does the XL pass rate vary by year?
- 25.3 percentage points between the highest (2012, 97.1%) and lowest (2016, 71.8%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Honda XL reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #3108 of 5428 models· other Honda models: CBR600F, CBR900RR, CBR1100XX, CB500, C90, VFR800 Fi