HONDA GOLDWING

1500cc Petrol Class 2

#2230 of 5426 overall #320 of 921 HONDAs #8 of 14 tourer bikes

85.9%

first-time pass rate

9.9%

failed outright

44,401

median miles at test

6,015

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The GOLDWING's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.7 points since 2005, 92.2% to 82.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage GOLDWING passes first time 88.7% of the time; by 50k that's 83.2%.

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 GOLDWING

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	445	37.2	1.1×
lighting and signalling	246	20.6	0.7×
steering and suspension	185	15.5	0.7×
tyres and wheels	151	12.6	1.0×
body and structure	33	2.8	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	33	2.8	0.6×
suspension	32	2.7	0.6×
reg plates and vin	28	2.3	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	26	2.2	0.3×
tyres	18	1.5	0.4×

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 GOLDWING beats 1 of its 2 closest rivals (TRIUMPH TROPHY, BMW K1600).

TRIUMPH TROPHY 84.0% pass · 39.2k tests BMW K1600 95.3% pass · 12.1k 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 GOLDWING.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (96.2% pass). Weakest: 1985 (72.6%).

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 GOLDWING FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA GOLDWING reliable?

The HONDA GOLDWING is about average for its class: 85.9% of its 6,015 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2230 of 5426 models.

What does a GOLDWING fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 37% of all defects recorded against failed GOLDWING tests.

What is the best year of GOLDWING to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (96.2%) and 1985 worst (72.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a GOLDWING last?

The median GOLDWING shows 44,401 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.