HONDA GL1500SE

1520cc Petrol Class 2

#1369 of 5426 overall #162 of 921 HONDAs #838 of 2787 other bikes

88.7%

first-time pass rate

8.2%

failed outright

36,303

median miles at test

7,764

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2020

The GL1500SE's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.7 points since 2005, 93.2% to 90.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the GL1500SE's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GL1500SE passes first time 89.3% of the time; by 50k that's 87.8%.

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 GL1500SE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	421	39.1	0.9×
lighting and signalling	207	19.2	0.5×
tyres and wheels	202	18.8	1.1×
steering and suspension	144	13.4	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	30	2.8	0.5×
reg plates and vin	26	2.4	0.5×
tyres	17	1.6	0.3×
suspension	12	1.1	0.2×
driving controls	10	0.9	0.5×
body and structure	7	0.7	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 GL1500SE beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, SUZUKI GSF1200).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k 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 GL1500SE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1998 (90.4% pass). Weakest: 1988 (83.1%).

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 GL1500SE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA GL1500SE reliable?

The HONDA GL1500SE is more reliable than average for its class: 88.7% of its 7,764 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1369 of 5426 models.

What does a GL1500SE fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 39% of all defects recorded against failed GL1500SE tests.

What is the best year of GL1500SE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1998-registered examples do best (90.4%) and 1988 worst (83.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a GL1500SE last?

The median GL1500SE shows 36,303 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.