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Pass Your MOT

1979 Honda Xl185 MOT Pass Rate

Pass rate for Xl185 models manufactured in 1979, based on 104 real MOT test results.

83.7%
Pass Rate
16.3%
Fail Rate
104
Total Tests
17,279
Avg Mileage

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

1979 Honda Xl185 MOT Analysis

The 1979 Honda Xl185 has an MOT pass rate of 83.7% based on 104 tests — well above the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 17,279 miles on the odometer. With a 16.3% failure rate, the 1979 Xl185 is rated as "Excellent" for MOT reliability.

The leading cause of MOT failure for the 1979 Honda Xl185 is Motorcycle steering, responsible for 1.9% of failures. Steering failures include excessive play in the steering wheel, leaking power steering fluid, worn track rod ends, and damaged steering rack. These affect vehicle control and are closely related to suspension wear. Typical repair costs range from £150–600. Non-component advisories is the second most common issue at 1.0%. Motorcycle structure and attachments follows at 1.0%.

Top failures specific to 1979 models only. The overall Xl185 page may show different rankings.

What Fails Most

Motorcycle steering 1.9%
Non-component advisories 1.0%
Motorcycle structure and attachments 1.0%

What Fails on This Car?

Click a category to see specific failure items.

View as table
MOT failure categories ranked by failure rate
RankFailure CategoryRate (%)Count
1Motorcycle Steering1.9%2
2Non-component Advisories1.0%1
3Motorcycle Structure And Attachments1.0%1
4Motorcycle Suspension1.0%1

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 17,279 mi

For every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.

Motorcycle steering1.11% per 10K miNon-component advisories0.56% per 10K miMotorcycle structure and attachments0.56% per 10K miMotorcycle suspension0.56% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Motorcycle steering1.111.9%2
Non-component advisories0.561.0%1
Motorcycle structure and attachments0.561.0%1
Motorcycle suspension0.561.0%1

Mileage Statistics

17,279
Mean
19,697
Median
15,077
25th Percentile
35,577
75th Percentile
9.43% failures per 10K miles

Mileage-adjusted failure rate — accounts for how much this model year is typically driven.

About This Data

The 1979 Honda Xl185 has an MOT pass rate of 83.7% based on 104 tests — well above the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 17,279 miles on the odometer. With a 16.3% failure rate, the 1979 Xl185 is rated as "Excellent" for MOT reliability.

If you own or are considering buying a 1979 Honda Xl185, you can expect reliable MOT performance overall. Before your MOT, pay particular attention to motorcycle steering: Check for excessive steering wheel play (more than a few inches of free movement). Listen for whining from the power steering pump. Look for fluid leaks under the car near the front wheels. With relatively low average mileage of 17,279 miles, many of these vehicles are still in good mechanical condition.

Motorcycle steering — 1.9% of failures

Motorcycle steering issues account for 1.9% of MOT failures on 1979 Honda Xl185 models. Steering failures include excessive play in the steering wheel, leaking power steering fluid, worn track rod ends, and damaged steering rack. These affect vehicle control and are closely related to suspension wear. Typical repair costs: £150–600. Pre-MOT check: Check for excessive steering wheel play (more than a few inches of free movement). Listen for whining from the power steering pump. Look for fluid leaks under the car near the front wheels.

Non-component advisories — 1.0% of failures

Non-component advisories issues account for 1.0% of MOT failures on 1979 Honda Xl185 models. Non-component advisories issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.

Motorcycle structure and attachments — 1.0% of failures

Motorcycle structure and attachments issues account for 1.0% of MOT failures on 1979 Honda Xl185 models. Motorcycle structure and attachments issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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