HONDA GL500

496cc Petrol Class 2

#4258 of 5426 overall #817 of 921 HONDAs #2644 of 2787 other bikes

75.4%

first-time pass rate

17.5%

failed outright

39,489

median miles at test

1,700

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The GL500's first-time pass rate has risen 6.2 points since 2006, 77.1% to 83.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the GL500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GL500 passes first time 80.2% of the time; by 50k that's 71.0%.

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 GL500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	205	29	2.9×
brakes	183	25.8	1.8×
lighting and signalling	136	19.2	1.2×
tyres and wheels	66	9.3	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	35	4.9	0.7×
body and structure	25	3.5	2.5×
fuel and exhaust	25	3.5	1.8×
suspension	15	2.1	1.0×
structure and attachments	9	1.3	0.7×
tyres	9	1.3	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 GL500 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests YAMAHA FZ6 85.2% pass · 67.1k 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 GL500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1984 (80.6% pass). Weakest: 1981 (73.1%).

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 GL500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA GL500 reliable?

The HONDA GL500 is less reliable than average for its class: 75.4% of its 1,700 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4258 of 5426 models.

What does a GL500 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 29% of all defects recorded against failed GL500 tests.

What is the best year of GL500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1984-registered examples do best (80.6%) and 1981 worst (73.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a GL500 last?

The median GL500 shows 39,489 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 71.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.