Honda GL MOT pass rate and common failures
Honda GL motorcycles pass the MOT 95.14% of the time, measured across 432 tests in the DVSA record. A further 1.62% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort - it accounts for 14.3% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps and less than 1.0 mm thick, the next two most common reasons.
- Age matters here: 100% of 3-5 year old examples pass, against 85.71% at 16+ years - a gap of 14.3 points.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (4.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 21,693 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 100% | 51 | |
| 6-10 years | 95.99% | 299 | |
| 11-15 years | 92.5% | 40 | |
| 16+ years | 85.71% | 42 |
Why the Honda GL 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 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 2 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 3 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 4 | Not working | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 5 | Seriously damaged | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 6 | The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25% | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 7 | Too low | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 8 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 14.3% | 2 | |
| 9 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 7.1% | 1 | |
| 10 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 7.1% | 1 |
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 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 4.2% | 18 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 3.5% | 15 | |
| 3 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.5% | 11 | |
| 4 | Has excessive play | 2.1% | 9 | |
| 5 | Significantly and obviously worn | 1.6% | 7 | |
| 6 | Excessively binding | 1.2% | 5 | |
| 7 | Has a major leak of exhaust gases | 1.2% | 5 | |
| 8 | Has a serious fluid leak | 0.9% | 4 | |
| 9 | Grabbing severely | 0.5% | 2 | |
| 10 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 0.5% | 2 |
Honda GL for sale
No Honda GL in stock at the moment - 73 other Honda bikes are advertised.
Similar bikes compared
Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.
| Model | Tests | Pass rate | Avg mileage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki GSX1400 · 1,402cc | 2,352 | 91.54% | 26,720 | |
| Honda ST1300 · 1,261cc | 1,866 | 88.96% | 47,954 | |
| Triumph THUNDERBIRD 1600 · 1500-1800cc | 1,767 | 89.3% | 16,841 | |
| Suzuki GSX1300R · 1,300cc | 1,587 | 88.91% | 27,378 | |
| Harley-Davidson FLSTF · 1,507cc | 1,568 | 91.52% | 20,653 | |
| BMW K 1600 · 1,649cc | 1,484 | 95.62% | 19,181 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method