HONDA XR600

598cc Petrol Class 2

#3318 of 5426 overall #567 of 921 HONDAs #2114 of 2787 other bikes

81.3%

first-time pass rate

11.6%

failed outright

13,413

median miles at test

1,839

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The XR600's first-time pass rate has risen 8.1 points since 2005, 74.4% to 82.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XR600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XR600 passes first time 82.2% of the time; by 40k that's 77.3%.

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 XR600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	207	35.1	1.6×
steering and suspension	110	18.6	1.4×
brakes	84	14.2	0.8×
tyres and wheels	65	11	1.3×
reg plates and vin	39	6.6	2.9×
lamps and reflectors	33	5.6	0.6×
drive system	20	3.4	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	14	2.4	0.9×
Items Not Tested	10	1.7	1.8×
body and structure	8	1.4	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 XR600 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 XR600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1991 (89.4% pass). Weakest: 1989 (69.8%).

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 XR600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XR600 reliable?

The HONDA XR600 is less reliable than average for its class: 81.3% of its 1,839 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3318 of 5426 models.

What does a XR600 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 35% of all defects recorded against failed XR600 tests.

What is the best year of XR600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1991-registered examples do best (89.4%) and 1989 worst (69.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XR600 last?

The median XR600 shows 13,413 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 77.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.