HONDA XL650 V-2

649cc Petrol Class 2

#2960 of 5426 overall #477 of 921 HONDAs #1873 of 2787 other bikes

83.0%

first-time pass rate

10.0%

failed outright

15,738

median miles at test

3,902

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2020

The XL650 V-2's first-time pass rate has risen 1.2 points since 2006, 89.1% to 90.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL650 V-2's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL650 V-2 passes first time 90.6% of the time; by 50k that's 68.5%.

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 XL650 V-2

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	251	33.6	1.1×
steering and suspension	138	18.5	0.9×
lighting and signalling	137	18.3	0.7×
tyres and wheels	86	11.5	1.0×
drive system	65	8.7	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	24	3.2	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	14	1.9	0.4×
structure and attachments	11	1.5	0.3×
driving controls	11	1.5	1.2×
reg plates and vin	10	1.3	0.4×

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 XL650 V-2 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 XL650 V-2.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (87.7% pass). Weakest: 2003 (79.8%).

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.

HONDA XL650 V-2 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL650 V-2 reliable?

The HONDA XL650 V-2 is about average for its class: 83.0% of its 3,902 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2960 of 5426 models.

What does a XL650 V-2 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 34% of all defects recorded against failed XL650 V-2 tests.

What is the best year of XL650 V-2 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (87.7%) and 2003 worst (79.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL650 V-2 last?

The median XL650 V-2 shows 15,738 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 68.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.