HONDA XL1000V

996cc Petrol Class 2

#2491 of 5426 overall #367 of 921 HONDAs #1561 of 2787 other bikes

85.0%

first-time pass rate

9.5%

failed outright

23,614

median miles at test

20.5k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The XL1000V's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.6 points since 2005, 92.7% to 83.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL1000V's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL1000V passes first time 92.2% of the time; by 50k that's 77.3%.

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 XL1000V

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,255	34.8	1.0×
steering and suspension	550	15.3	0.7×
lighting and signalling	471	13.1	0.5×
tyres and wheels	379	10.5	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	270	7.5	0.6×
suspension	167	4.6	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	142	3.9	0.9×
drive system	135	3.7	0.7×
structure and attachments	121	3.4	0.7×
tyres	113	3.1	0.7×

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 XL1000V beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 XL1000V.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (88.8% pass). Weakest: 1999 (82.6%).

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 XL1000V FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL1000V reliable?

The HONDA XL1000V is about average for its class: 85.0% of its 20,456 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2491 of 5426 models.

What does a XL1000V fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 35% of all defects recorded against failed XL1000V tests.

What is the best year of XL1000V to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (88.8%) and 1999 worst (82.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL1000V last?

The median XL1000V shows 23,614 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.