BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ MATCHLESS/G9
Model report · 2005–2025

MATCHLESS G9

500cc Petrol Class 2
#960 of 5428 overall #11 of 14 MATCHLESSs #589 of 2788 other bikes
90.0%
first-time pass rate
2.3%
failed outright
17,650
median miles at test
812
MOT tests, 2005–2025

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The G9's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.4 points since 2006, 91.3% to 85.9%.

84%90%96%2006: 91.3% pass (115 tests)2007: 91.6% pass (95 tests)2008: 93.9% pass (99 tests)2009: 89.5% pass (105 tests)2010: 87.4% pass (95 tests)2011: 91.6% pass (95 tests)2012: 85.9% pass (92 tests)20062012

Pass rate by mileage

how the G9's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage G9 passes first time 89.2% of the time; by 50k that's 88.2%.

87%91%95%0k: 89.2% pass (325 tests)10k: 89.5% pass (95 tests)20k: 89.4% pass (113 tests)30k: 94.0% pass (84 tests)40k: 88.1% pass (59 tests)50k: 88.2% pass (76 tests)0k30k50k

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 G9

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
steering and suspension
11 33.3 0.3×
lighting and signalling
6 18.2 0.2×
tyres and wheels
6 18.2 0.3×
body and structure
2 6.1 0.3×
fuel and exhaust
2 6.1 0.3×
lamps and reflectors
2 6.1 0.1×
driving controls
1 3 0.5×
drive system
1 3 0.2×
suspension
1 3 0.2×
tyres
1 3 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 G9 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 G9.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the G9

More MATCHLESS models

other MATCHLESS bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
MATCHLESS G80 92.0% pass · 2,093 tests
MATCHLESS G12 92.3% pass · 1,593 tests
MATCHLESS G3 92.7% pass · 1,459 tests
MATCHLESS G3LS 92.2% pass · 1,091 tests
MATCHLESS G3L 93.1% pass · 955 tests
MATCHLESS G2 89.1% pass · 441 tests

See all MATCHLESS models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1955 (94.4% pass). Weakest: 1954 (86.9%).

85%91%96%1951: 92.5% pass (53 tests)1953: 93.6% pass (109 tests)1954: 86.9% pass (61 tests)1955: 94.4% pass (124 tests)1956: 93.3% pass (90 tests)1957: 91.7% pass (121 tests)1960: 91.0% pass (67 tests)195119551960

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.

MATCHLESS G9 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MATCHLESS G9 reliable?

The MATCHLESS G9 is more reliable than average for its class: 90.0% of its 812 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #960 of 5428 models.

What does a G9 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 33% of all defects recorded against failed G9 tests.

What is the best year of G9 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1955-registered examples do best (94.4%) and 1954 worst (86.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a G9 last?

The median G9 shows 17,650 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Matchless G9 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.