BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ SUZUKI/DR350
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

SUZUKI DR350

349cc Petrol Class 2
#3668 of 5428 overall #500 of 680 SUZUKIs #2334 of 2788 other bikes
79.6%
first-time pass rate
10.9%
failed outright
14,722
median miles at test
2,246
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-4.8pp
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 · 2005–2025

The DR350's first-time pass rate has risen 3.5 points since 2005, 82.0% to 85.5%.

69%80%92%2005: 82.0% pass (50 tests)2006: 79.2% pass (183 tests)2007: 79.4% pass (165 tests)2008: 77.3% pass (150 tests)2009: 78.0% pass (150 tests)2010: 79.4% pass (155 tests)2011: 78.9% pass (147 tests)2012: 77.0% pass (148 tests)2013: 78.7% pass (141 tests)2014: 75.4% pass (134 tests)2015: 85.6% pass (125 tests)2016: 72.5% pass (109 tests)2017: 80.4% pass (92 tests)2018: 86.4% pass (59 tests)2019: 87.7% pass (73 tests)2020: 78.8% pass (52 tests)2021: 81.1% pass (74 tests)2022: 82.9% pass (70 tests)2023: 82.1% pass (67 tests)2024: 76.6% pass (47 tests)2025: 85.5% pass (55 tests)20052025

Pass rate by mileage

how the DR350's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage DR350 passes first time 81.6% of the time; by 40k that's 86.0%.

77%82%88%0k: 81.6% pass (685 tests)10k: 78.4% pass (832 tests)20k: 78.3% pass (423 tests)30k: 82.0% pass (200 tests)40k: 86.0% pass (57 tests)0k20k40k

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 DR350

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
191 29.6 1.2×
brakes
144 22.3 1.0×
steering and suspension
111 17.2 1.3×
tyres and wheels
63 9.8 1.2×
drive system
35 5.4 1.7×
reg plates and vin
31 4.8 1.9×
lamps and reflectors
26 4 0.6×
structure and attachments
18 2.8 0.6×
body and structure
14 2.2 0.9×
driving controls
13 2 2.5×

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 DR350 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, YAMAHA RD350).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests Compare head-to-head →
KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k 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 DR350.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the DR350

More SUZUKI models

other SUZUKI bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
SUZUKI GSXR600 76.7% pass · 149k tests
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests
SUZUKI GSXR750 79.8% pass · 99.2k tests
SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests
SUZUKI GSXR1000 83.8% pass · 97.5k tests
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests

See all SUZUKI models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 1997 (89.3%). Lowest: 1992 (70.8%). Every DR350 year compared →

67%80%93%1971: 74.1% pass (54 tests)1991: 81.1% pass (159 tests)1992: 70.8% pass (202 tests)1993: 75.8% pass (281 tests)1994: 83.0% pass (159 tests)1995: 78.5% pass (455 tests)1996: 77.7% pass (292 tests)1997: 89.3% pass (84 tests)1998: 83.4% pass (277 tests)1999: 83.8% pass (198 tests)197119951999

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 DR350 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI DR350 reliable?

The SUZUKI DR350 is less reliable than average for its class: 79.6% of its 2,246 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3668 of 5428 models.

What does a DR350 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling: 30% of all defects recorded against failed DR350 tests.

What is the best year of DR350 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (89.3%) and 1992 worst (70.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DR350 last?

The median DR350 shows 14,722 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 86.0% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum: a live Suzuki DR350 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.