Suzuki GW 250 L3 MOT pass rate and common failures
Suzuki GW 250 L3 motorcycles pass the MOT 87.34% of the time, measured across 237 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.91% 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 excessively binding - it accounts for 25% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check not working and tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 19,380 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-15 years | 87.34% | 237 |
Why the Suzuki GW 250 L3 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 | Excessively binding | 25% | 4 | |
| 2 | Not working | 25% | 4 | |
| 3 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 25% | 4 | |
| 4 | Excessively loose | 18.8% | 3 | |
| 5 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 18.8% | 3 | |
| 6 | Has negligible damping effect | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 7 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 8 | Projected beam image obviously incorrect | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 9 | Too low | 12.5% | 2 | |
| 10 | Control functioning such that safe operation of the motorcycle is adversely affected | 6.3% | 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 | 6.8% | 16 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 5.5% | 13 | |
| 3 | Excessively loose | 3.8% | 9 | |
| 4 | Worn to excess | 3.8% | 9 | |
| 5 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 3.4% | 8 | |
| 6 | Excessively binding | 3% | 7 | |
| 7 | Has a major leak of exhaust gases | 2.5% | 6 | |
| 8 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 1.7% | 4 | |
| 9 | Is so short that the brake cannot be readily applied | 1.7% | 4 | |
| 10 | Excessively deformed | 1.3% | 3 |
Suzuki GW 250 L3 for sale
No Suzuki GW 250 L3 in stock at the moment - 529 other Suzuki bikes are advertised.
Similar bikes compared
Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.
| Model | Tests | Pass rate | Avg mileage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piaggio VESPA GTS · 240-300cc | 4,305 | 92.15% | 9,875 | |
| Honda CRF 220-250cc · 220-250cc | 2,452 | 89.76% | 7,549 | |
| Honda NSS 250-297cc · 250-297cc | 1,397 | 90.34% | 17,407 | |
| Honda CRF 300 LA-M · 286cc | 1,297 | 88.43% | 3,963 | |
| BMW G310 · 313cc | 1,129 | 90.79% | 7,243 | |
| Piaggio VESPA GTS 300 SUPER · 277cc | 914 | 93.76% | 12,292 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method