HONDA XL650 VY

647cc Petrol Class 2

#2852 of 5426 overall #446 of 921 HONDAs #1800 of 2787 other bikes

83.5%

first-time pass rate

10.2%

failed outright

19,510

median miles at test

6,897

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2020

The XL650 VY's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.4 points since 2005, 93.0% to 83.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XL650 VY passes first time 91.3% of the time; by 50k 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 XL650 VY

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	468	34	1.2×
lighting and signalling	295	21.4	0.7×
steering and suspension	238	17.3	0.9×
tyres and wheels	168	12.2	1.1×
drive system	96	7	1.5×
fuel and exhaust	29	2.1	0.5×
driving controls	26	1.9	1.6×
lamps and reflectors	25	1.8	0.2×
reg plates and vin	16	1.2	0.4×
steering	16	1.2	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 VY 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 VY.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (89.0% pass). Weakest: 2007 (78.2%).

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 XL650 VY FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL650 VY reliable?

The HONDA XL650 VY is about average for its class: 83.5% of its 6,897 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2852 of 5426 models.

What does a XL650 VY fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 34% of all defects recorded against failed XL650 VY tests.

What is the best year of XL650 VY to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (89.0%) and 2007 worst (78.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL650 VY last?

The median XL650 VY shows 19,510 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 72.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.