HONDA GL1200AF

1182cc Petrol Class 2

#3577 of 5426 overall #635 of 921 HONDAs #2275 of 2787 other bikes

80.0%

first-time pass rate

16.0%

failed outright

58,882

median miles at test

525

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The GL1200AF's first-time pass rate has risen 4.6 points since 2006, 84.0% to 88.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the GL1200AF's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GL1200AF passes first time 82.5% of the time; by 50k that's 82.6%.

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 GL1200AF

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	74	43.3	2.0×
steering and suspension	32	18.7	1.9×
lighting and signalling	27	15.8	1.0×
tyres and wheels	23	13.5	1.7×
fuel and exhaust	4	2.3	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	3	1.8	0.1×
body and structure	3	1.8	1.2×
reg plates and vin	2	1.2	0.7×
tyres	2	1.2	0.6×
driving controls	1	0.6	0.8×

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 GL1200AF beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 GL1200AF.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1986 (81.0% pass). Weakest: 1985 (79.4%).

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 GL1200AF FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA GL1200AF reliable?

The HONDA GL1200AF is less reliable than average for its class: 80.0% of its 525 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3577 of 5426 models.

What does a GL1200AF fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 43% of all defects recorded against failed GL1200AF tests.

How many miles will a GL1200AF last?

The median GL1200AF shows 58,882 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.