Honda Xr500 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 156 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 21.2%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Xr500 MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Xr500 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 156 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 2 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.8% and a failure rate of 21.2%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Xr500 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Xr500 presents for MOT with approximately 8,369 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 1980 models achieve the highest pass rate at 80.8%, while 1979 models have the lowest at 74.4%. This 6.4 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Xr500 is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 13.5% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle tyres and wheels at 9.0%. Motorcycle steering and suspension rounds out the top three at 6.4%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 15.4% | 24 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 9.6% | 15 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 7.1% | 11 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Brakes | 6.4% | 10 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 4.5% | 7 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Drive System | 3.8% | 6 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.8% | 6 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Wheels | 2.6% | 4 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Suspension | 2.6% | 4 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 1.3% | 2 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.6% | 1 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.6% | 1 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.6% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 8,369 miFor 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.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 18.38 | 15.4% | 24 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 11.49 | 9.6% | 15 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 8.43 | 7.1% | 11 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 7.66 | 6.4% | 10 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 5.36 | 4.5% | 7 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 4.60 | 3.8% | 6 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 4.60 | 3.8% | 6 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 3.06 | 2.6% | 4 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 3.06 | 2.6% | 4 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 1.53 | 1.3% | 2 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.77 | 0.6% | 1 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.77 | 0.6% | 1 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.77 | 0.6% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Xr500 has 8,369 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Honda Xr500 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 25.33% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Xr500 MOT Data
The Honda Xr500 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 156 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 2 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.8% and a failure rate of 21.2%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Xr500 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle tyres and wheels for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Xr500 is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 13.5% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 13.5% of MOT failures on the Honda Xr500. Motorcycle lighting and signalling 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 tyres and wheels — 9.0% of failures
Motorcycle tyres and wheels issues account for 9.0% of MOT failures on the Honda Xr500. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Motorcycle steering and suspension — 6.4% of failures
Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 6.4% of MOT failures on the Honda Xr500. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Xr500?
Based on 156 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Xr500 has an overall pass rate of 78.8% (21.2% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Xr500?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Xr500 fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (13.5%), 2. Motorcycle tyres and wheels (9.0%), 3. Motorcycle steering and suspension (6.4%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Xr500 reliable?
With a 21.2% MOT failure rate, the Xr500 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Xr500?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (13.5%); Motorcycle tyres and wheels (9.0%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (6.4%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.