Suzuki DL1000 MOT pass rate and common failures

Suzuki DL1000 motorcycles pass the MOT 84.64% of the time, measured across 521 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.18% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.2 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 84.64% 441 of 521

Fixed at the station 5.18% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 35,460 miles

Average age at test 19.31 years old

Engine 1,000cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Suzuki DL1000 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 30.2% of failed tests on this model.
Then check has a serious fluid leak and excessively stiff or notchy, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (5.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 35,460 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	84.49%		490

Why the Suzuki DL1000 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	30.2%	16
2	Has a serious fluid leak	20.8%	11
3	Excessively stiff or notchy	13.2%	7
4	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	11.3%	6
5	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	11.3%	6
6	Less than 1.0 mm thick	11.3%	6
7	Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s)	9.4%	5
8	Excessively binding	9.4%	5
9	Light intensity obviously reduced	9.4%	5
10	Seriously damaged	9.4%	5

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	5.4%	28
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	5.2%	27
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	5%	26
4	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	4.6%	24
5	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	3.5%	18
6	Excessively binding	3.1%	16
7	Excessively stiff or notchy	3.1%	16
8	Excessively loose	2.7%	14
9	Has a serious fluid leak	2.1%	11
10	Has excessive play	1.9%	10

Suzuki DL1000 for sale

No Suzuki DL1000 in stock at the moment - 528 other Suzuki bikes are advertised.

Used Suzuki DL1000 Used Suzuki All Suzuki Suzuki MOT statistics

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Triumph TIGER · 969cc	16,144	91.27%	22,934
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	9,521	94.43%	28,830
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
BMW R1250 · 1,254cc	6,764	96.17%	17,373

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

Suzuki DL1000 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Suzuki DL1000?+

84.64% of Suzuki DL1000 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 521 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Suzuki DL1000?+

Not working, which appears in 30.2% 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.