HONDA XL600V

583cc Petrol Class 2

#3199 of 5426 overall #529 of 921 HONDAs #2032 of 2787 other bikes

81.9%

first-time pass rate

11.9%

failed outright

30,210

median miles at test

1,677

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The XL600V's first-time pass rate has risen 8.7 points since 2006, 77.6% to 86.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL600V's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL600V passes first time 87.7% of the time; by 50k that's 78.0%.

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 XL600V

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	138	32.1	1.3×
lighting and signalling	84	19.5	0.9×
steering and suspension	70	16.3	1.0×
tyres and wheels	46	10.7	1.1×
drive system	27	6.3	1.8×
lamps and reflectors	19	4.4	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	14	3.3	1.0×
steering	12	2.8	1.4×
tyres	11	2.6	0.9×
body and structure	9	2.1	0.9×

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 XL600V 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 XL600V.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1990 (86.5% pass). Weakest: 1999 (79.2%).

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 XL600V FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL600V reliable?

The HONDA XL600V is less reliable than average for its class: 81.9% of its 1,677 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3199 of 5426 models.

What does a XL600V fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed XL600V tests.

What is the best year of XL600V to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1990-registered examples do best (86.5%) and 1999 worst (79.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL600V last?

The median XL600V shows 30,210 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 78.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.