SUZUKI DL 650 AL8

645cc Petrol Class 2

#197 of 5426 overall #22 of 680 SUZUKIs #118 of 2787 other bikes

93.8%

first-time pass rate

3.4%

failed outright

10,944

median miles at test

647

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2021–2025

The DL 650 AL8's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.9 points since 2021, 96.9% to 94.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DL 650 AL8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage DL 650 AL8 passes first time 96.7% of the time; by 20k that's 86.6%.

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 DL 650 AL8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	10	28.6	0.3×
suspension	8	22.9	1.5×
structure and attachments	6	17.1	1.1×
tyres	6	17.1	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	5	14.3	0.5×

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 DL 650 AL8 beats 4 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 DL 650 AL8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2019 (97.4% pass). Weakest: 2018 (93.3%).

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.

SUZUKI DL 650 AL8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI DL 650 AL8 reliable?

The SUZUKI DL 650 AL8 is more reliable than average for its class: 93.8% of its 647 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #197 of 5426 models.

What does a DL 650 AL8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed DL 650 AL8 tests.

How many miles will a DL 650 AL8 last?

The median DL 650 AL8 shows 10,944 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 86.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.