SUZUKI DL1000

996cc Petrol Class 2

#2196 of 5426 overall #265 of 680 SUZUKIs #1359 of 2787 other bikes

86.0%

first-time pass rate

8.6%

failed outright

21,179

median miles at test

14.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The DL1000's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.2 points since 2005, 90.5% to 84.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DL1000's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage DL1000 passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 50k that's 80.7%.

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 DL1000

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	495	23.8	0.6×
lighting and signalling	306	14.7	0.4×
steering and suspension	283	13.6	0.5×
tyres and wheels	264	12.7	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	220	10.6	0.7×
suspension	145	7	1.1×
drive system	115	5.5	0.9×
tyres	107	5.1	0.9×
structure and attachments	88	4.2	0.7×
steering	56	2.7	0.9×

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 DL1000 beats 2 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 DL1000.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2014 (89.6% pass). Weakest: 2003 (84.1%).

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 DL1000 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI DL1000 reliable?

The SUZUKI DL1000 is about average for its class: 86.0% of its 14,263 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2196 of 5426 models.

What does a DL1000 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 24% of all defects recorded against failed DL1000 tests.

What is the best year of DL1000 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2014-registered examples do best (89.6%) and 2003 worst (84.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DL1000 last?

The median DL1000 shows 21,179 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.