Honda XL 650 V-3
Real ownership data from 102 UK XL 650 V-3 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common XL 650 V-3 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | major | 10.5% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 7.5% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 3.5% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 3.2% |
| Other | fail | 2.2% |
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 2.2% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 2.1% |
| Wheels | fail | 1.8% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
XL 650 V-3 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 16 | 28,080 mi | 1,463 | 82.82% |
| 2003 | 82 | 29,098 mi | 1,650 | 83.33% |
XL 650 V-3 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda XL 650 V-3?
Across 102 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (10.5% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (7.5% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (3.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda XL 650 V-3?
The median Honda XL 650 V-3 in the UK has covered 28,431 miles, and typically rides about 1,628 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 16,524 and 42,663 miles.
Is the Honda XL 650 V-3 reliable?
83.07% of Honda XL 650 V-3 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.82 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 102 Honda XL 650 V-3 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.