Honda XL600 MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda XL600 motorcycles pass the MOT 87.54% of the time, measured across 345 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.93% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 0.7 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 87.54% 302 of 345

Fixed at the station 4.93% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 36,308 miles

Average age at test 30.25 years old

Engine 587cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Honda XL600 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 50% of failed tests on this model.
Then check missing and insecure, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is excessively binding (4.1% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 36,308 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
16+ years	87.16%		335

Why the Honda XL600 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	50%	13
2	Missing	38.5%	10
3	Insecure	15.4%	4
4	Projected beam image obviously incorrect	15.4%	4
5	Too low	15.4%	4
6	Too high	11.5%	3
7	Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s)	7.7%	2
8	Excessively binding	7.7%	2
9	Excessively corroded	7.7%	2
10	Excessively loose	7.7%	2

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	Excessively binding	4.1%	14
2	Excessively loose	3.5%	12
3	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	3.5%	12
4	Worn to excess	2.9%	10
5	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.6%	9
6	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	2.6%	9
7	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	2.6%	9
8	Excessively corroded	2.3%	8
9	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.3%	8
10	Corroded and seriously weakened	1.7%	6

Honda XL600 for sale

No Honda XL600 in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda XL600 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
Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc	5,400	89.76%	19,444
Honda NC · 741cc	5,311	89.53%	22,765
Suzuki GSF600 · 600cc	4,890	80%	29,308
Honda CBR600F · 599cc	4,710	85.56%	30,651
Kawasaki ZX-6R · 599-636cc	4,510	81.62%	26,019
Suzuki SV650 · 646cc	3,834	80.99%	27,644

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

Honda XL600 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda XL600?+

87.54% of Honda XL600 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 345 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda XL600?+

Not working, which appears in 50% of failed tests on this model.

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.