HONDA GL 1800 C

1832cc Petrol Class 2

#62 of 5426 overall #13 of 921 HONDAs #39 of 2787 other bikes

95.2%

first-time pass rate

3.0%

failed outright

21,467

median miles at test

693

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2015–2025

The GL 1800 C's first-time pass rate has risen 1.9 points since 2015, 93.9% to 95.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage GL 1800 C passes first time 98.7% of the time; by 50k that's 93.3%.

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 C

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	8	28.6	0.2×
lamps and reflectors	6	21.4	0.4×
tyres	5	17.9	1.1×
suspension	3	10.7	0.6×
tyres and wheels	3	10.7	0.2×
structure and attachments	1	3.6	0.2×
lighting and signalling	1	3.6	—
Identification of the vehicle	1	3.6	0.6×

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 C 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 C.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (96.4% pass). Weakest: 2012 (94.3%).

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 C FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA GL 1800 C reliable?

The HONDA GL 1800 C is more reliable than average for its class: 95.2% of its 693 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #62 of 5426 models.

What does a GL 1800 C fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed GL 1800 C tests.

How many miles will a GL 1800 C last?

The median GL 1800 C shows 21,467 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.