HONDA ST1100L

1099cc Petrol Class 2

#3557 of 5426 overall #628 of 921 HONDAs #2263 of 2787 other bikes

80.1%

first-time pass rate

14.9%

failed outright

58,798

median miles at test

4,217

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The ST1100L's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.0 points since 2005, 79.7% to 76.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ST1100L's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ST1100L passes first time 75.0% of the time; by 50k that's 80.8%.

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 ST1100L

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	476	37.2	1.9×
steering and suspension	262	20.5	1.7×
tyres and wheels	177	13.8	1.8×
lighting and signalling	177	13.8	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	57	4.5	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	33	2.6	0.3×
driving controls	30	2.3	2.9×
body and structure	29	2.3	1.4×
suspension	22	1.7	0.6×
structure and attachments	15	1.2	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 ST1100L 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 ST1100L.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1991 (81.8% pass). Weakest: 1992 (75.3%).

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 ST1100L FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA ST1100L reliable?

The HONDA ST1100L is less reliable than average for its class: 80.1% of its 4,217 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3557 of 5426 models.

What does a ST1100L fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 37% of all defects recorded against failed ST1100L tests.

What is the best year of ST1100L to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1991-registered examples do best (81.8%) and 1992 worst (75.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ST1100L last?

The median ST1100L shows 58,798 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.