BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
League table/ HONDA/GL 1800 A-7
Model report · 2005–2025

HONDA GL 1800 A-7

1832cc Petrol Class 2
#726 of 5426 overall #85 of 921 HONDAs #444 of 2787 other bikes
90.8%
first-time pass rate
6.1%
failed outright
24,106
median miles at test
610
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2010–2022

The GL 1800 A-7's first-time pass rate has risen 3.6 points since 2010, 90.5% to 94.1%.

83%91%99%2010: 90.5% pass (42 tests)2011: 95.9% pass (49 tests)2012: 85.4% pass (48 tests)2013: 86.8% pass (53 tests)2014: 95.5% pass (44 tests)2015: 87.8% pass (49 tests)2016: 90.9% pass (44 tests)2017: 92.5% pass (40 tests)2018: 91.2% pass (34 tests)2019: 85.7% pass (35 tests)2021: 87.9% pass (33 tests)2022: 94.1% pass (34 tests)20102022

Pass rate by mileage

how the GL 1800 A-7's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GL 1800 A-7 passes first time 95.5% of the time; by 50k that's 94.9%.

84%91%97%0k: 95.5% pass (66 tests)10k: 91.4% pass (174 tests)20k: 89.5% pass (153 tests)30k: 86.2% pass (94 tests)40k: 94.8% pass (58 tests)50k: 94.9% pass (39 tests)0k30k50k

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-7

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
20 30.3 0.5×
lamps and reflectors
9 13.6 0.5×
tyres and wheels
9 13.6 0.7×
lighting and signalling
8 12.1 0.3×
steering and suspension
7 10.6 0.4×
tyres
7 10.6 1.2×
suspension
5 7.6 1.1×
fuel and exhaust
1 1.5 0.2×

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-7 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI GSX1400, SUZUKI GSX1300R, YAMAHA FJR1300A).

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-7.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (91.2% pass). Weakest: 2008 (89.7%).

89%90%92%2007: 91.2% pass (533 tests)2008: 89.7% pass (68 tests)20072008

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-7 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA GL 1800 A-7 reliable?

The HONDA GL 1800 A-7 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.8% of its 610 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #726 of 5426 models.

What does a GL 1800 A-7 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 30% of all defects recorded against failed GL 1800 A-7 tests.

How many miles will a GL 1800 A-7 last?

The median GL 1800 A-7 shows 24,106 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 94.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.