BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ SUZUKI/DL 650 X AM1
Model report · 2005–2025

SUZUKI DL 650 X AM1

645cc Petrol Class 2
97.0%
first-time pass rate
1.9%
failed outright
7,413
median miles at test
361
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+8.4pp
vs expected · age & mileage

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.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2024–2025

The DL 650 X AM1's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.6 points since 2024, 98.1% to 96.5%.

96%97%99%2024: 98.1% pass (158 tests)2025: 96.5% pass (202 tests)20242025

What fails on a DL 650 X AM1

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects
brakes
2 25
lamps and reflectors
2 25
structure and attachments
2 25
tyres
2 25

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the DL 650 X AM1 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

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 X AM1.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the DL 650 X AM1

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2021 (96.8% pass). Weakest: 2021 (96.8%).

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.

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