SUZUKI DL650

645cc Petrol Class 2

#1883 of 5426 overall #222 of 680 SUZUKIs #1137 of 2787 other bikes

87.1%

first-time pass rate

8.1%

failed outright

19,361

median miles at test

18.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The DL650's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.8 points since 2007, 87.6% to 84.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DL650's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage DL650 passes first time 92.6% of the time; by 50k that's 78.7%.

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 DL650

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	726	27.7	0.7×
steering and suspension	406	15.5	0.6×
tyres and wheels	291	11.1	0.7×
lighting and signalling	273	10.4	0.3×
suspension	254	9.7	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	227	8.7	0.6×
drive system	156	6	1.0×
tyres	122	4.7	0.9×
structure and attachments	102	3.9	0.7×
steering	61	2.3	0.7×

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 DL650 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 DL650.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (91.9% pass). Weakest: 2004 (83.7%).

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 DL650 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI DL650 reliable?

The SUZUKI DL650 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.1% of its 18,349 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1883 of 5426 models.

What does a DL650 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed DL650 tests.

What is the best year of DL650 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (91.9%) and 2004 worst (83.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DL650 last?

The median DL650 shows 19,361 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 78.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.