HONDA XL600 VN

584cc Petrol Class 2

#3816 of 5426 overall #706 of 921 HONDAs #2422 of 2787 other bikes

78.7%

first-time pass rate

14.2%

failed outright

36,203

median miles at test

282

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL600 VN's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL600 VN passes first time 94.1% of the time; by 40k that's 72.1%.

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 XL600 VN

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
steering and suspension	22	23.2
lighting and signalling	19	20
brakes	16	16.8
tyres and wheels	14	14.7
drive system	13	13.7
driving controls	4	4.2
lamps and reflectors	3	3.2
fuel and exhaust	2	2.1
reg plates and vin	1	1.1
structure and attachments	1	1.1

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the XL600 VN beats 2 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 XL600 VN.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1992 (81.6% pass). Weakest: 1993 (78.8%).

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.