HONDA XL500

498cc Petrol Class 2

#3291 of 5426 overall #561 of 921 HONDAs #2095 of 2787 other bikes

81.4%

first-time pass rate

10.3%

failed outright

25,924

median miles at test

1,667

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2023

The XL500's first-time pass rate has risen 25.5 points since 2005, 68.6% to 94.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL500 passes first time 82.9% of the time; by 50k that's 64.0%.

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 XL500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	186	40.3	1.4×
steering and suspension	82	17.7	1.2×
tyres and wheels	50	10.8	1.3×
brakes	39	8.4	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	36	7.8	0.6×
drive system	26	5.6	1.6×
reg plates and vin	13	2.8	1.0×
body and structure	12	2.6	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	10	2.2	0.8×
driving controls	8	1.7	2.0×

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 XL500 beats 3 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 XL500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1980 (87.6% pass). Weakest: 1981 (75.2%).

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 XL500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL500 reliable?

The HONDA XL500 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.4% of its 1,667 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3291 of 5426 models.

What does a XL500 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 40% of all defects recorded against failed XL500 tests.

What is the best year of XL500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1980-registered examples do best (87.6%) and 1981 worst (75.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL500 last?

The median XL500 shows 25,924 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 64.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.