HONDA GL 1800 A-5

1832cc Petrol Class 2

#278 of 5426 overall #42 of 921 HONDAs #175 of 2787 other bikes

93.1%

first-time pass rate

4.4%

failed outright

24,111

median miles at test

504

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2017

The GL 1800 A-5's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.4 points since 2008, 92.5% to 87.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the GL 1800 A-5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GL 1800 A-5 passes first time 94.9% of the time; by 50k that's 88.9%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a GL 1800 A-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	5	16.1	0.1×
tyres	5	16.1	0.9×
steering and suspension	4	12.9	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	4	12.9	0.5×
suspension	3	9.7	0.8×
tyres and wheels	3	9.7	0.3×
reg plates and vin	2	6.5	0.7×
lighting and signalling	2	6.5	0.1×
steering	2	6.5	1.0×
Identification of the vehicle	1	3.2	0.9×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the GL 1800 A-5 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI GSX1400, SUZUKI GSX1300R, YAMAHA FJR1300A).

SUZUKI GSX1400 88.3% pass · 56.8k tests SUZUKI GSX1300R 86.3% pass · 48.4k tests YAMAHA FJR1300A 90.2% pass · 27.9k tests YAMAHA FJR1300 87.5% pass · 25.9k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the GL 1800 A-5.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2005 (93.9% pass). Weakest: 2005 (93.9%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

HONDA GL 1800 A-5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA GL 1800 A-5 reliable?

The HONDA GL 1800 A-5 is more reliable than average for its class: 93.1% of its 504 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #278 of 5426 models.

What does a GL 1800 A-5 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 16% of all defects recorded against failed GL 1800 A-5 tests.

How many miles will a GL 1800 A-5 last?

The median GL 1800 A-5 shows 24,111 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.