HONDA XL700

699cc Petrol Class 2

#1448 of 5426 overall #174 of 921 HONDAs #881 of 2787 other bikes

88.5%

first-time pass rate

5.9%

failed outright

15,426

median miles at test

1,444

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The XL700's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.6 points since 2011, 91.9% to 89.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL700's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL700 passes first time 93.9% of the time; by 40k that's 79.7%.

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 XL700

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	34	23.3	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	29	19.9	0.9×
steering and suspension	18	12.3	0.4×
suspension	17	11.6	1.4×
tyres and wheels	12	8.2	0.4×
steering	9	6.2	1.3×
drive system	8	5.5	0.5×
lighting and signalling	7	4.8	0.1×
tyres	7	4.8	0.6×
structure and attachments	5	3.4	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 XL700 beats 4 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 XL700.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (91.8% pass). Weakest: 2008 (86.8%).

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 XL700 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL700 reliable?

The HONDA XL700 is more reliable than average for its class: 88.5% of its 1,444 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1448 of 5426 models.

What does a XL700 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 23% of all defects recorded against failed XL700 tests.

What is the best year of XL700 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (91.8%) and 2008 worst (86.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL700 last?

The median XL700 shows 15,426 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 79.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.