Honda XL1000V MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda XL1000V motorcycles pass the MOT 83.6% of the time, measured across 573 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.58% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 3.3 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 83.6% 479 of 573

Fixed at the station 5.58% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 36,075 miles

Average age at test 21.28 years old

Engine 996cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Honda XL1000V adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

Start with not working - it accounts for 25.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check excessively binding and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
Age matters here: 88.89% of 11-15 year old examples pass, against 83.01% at 16+ years - a gap of 5.9 points.
The most common advisory is less than 1.0 mm thick (8.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 36,075 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test	Pass rate		Tests
11-15 years	88.89%		54
16+ years	83.01%		518

Why the Honda XL1000V fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

#	Item	Of failures	Tests
1	Not working	25.8%	16
2	Excessively binding	21%	13
3	Has a serious fluid leak	17.7%	11
4	Less than 1.0 mm thick	14.5%	9
5	Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s)	11.3%	7
6	Excessively stiff or notchy	11.3%	7
7	Grip insecure to handlebar	11.3%	7
8	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	11.3%	7
9	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	8.1%	5
10	Too low	8.1%	5

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

#	Item	Of all tests	Tests
1	Less than 1.0 mm thick	8.4%	48
2	Excessively binding	5.8%	33
3	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	5.6%	32
4	Has a serious fluid leak	4.2%	24
5	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	4.2%	24
6	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.2%	24
7	Worn to excess	3.5%	20
8	Excessively loose	3.3%	19
9	Significantly and obviously worn	3.3%	19
10	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	2.8%	16

Honda XL1000V for sale

No Honda XL1000V in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda XL1000V Used Honda All Honda Honda MOT statistics

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Triumph TIGER · 969cc	16,144	91.27%	22,934
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	9,521	94.43%	28,830
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Honda XL1000V MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda XL1000V?+

83.6% of Honda XL1000V MOT tests end in a pass, based on 573 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda XL1000V?+

Not working, which appears in 25.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Honda XL1000V get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 83.01%, against 88.89% for examples 11-15 years old.

Where does this data come from?+

From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.

Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+

Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.