SUZUKI GS450

448cc Petrol Class 2

#3950 of 5426 overall #553 of 680 SUZUKIs #2502 of 2787 other bikes

77.7%

first-time pass rate

13.8%

failed outright

27,550

median miles at test

1,039

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2022

The GS450's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.9 points since 2005, 80.6% to 75.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the GS450's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GS450 passes first time 80.4% of the time; by 50k that's 70.1%.

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 GS450

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	96	28.8	1.6×
brakes	62	18.6	1.1×
steering and suspension	55	16.5	1.5×
tyres and wheels	29	8.7	1.3×
drive system	24	7.2	3.1×
lamps and reflectors	22	6.6	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	17	5.1	1.9×
structure and attachments	11	3.3	1.3×
driving controls	10	3	4.1×
reg plates and vin	7	2.1	1.0×

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 GS450 beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ER5, YAMAHA XV535, SUZUKI GS500).

KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests YAMAHA XV535 82.7% pass · 48.1k tests SUZUKI GS500 76.4% pass · 44.9k tests SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k 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 GS450.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1983 (85.9% pass). Weakest: 1980 (73.2%).

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 GS450 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI GS450 reliable?

The SUZUKI GS450 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.7% of its 1,039 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3950 of 5426 models.

What does a GS450 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed GS450 tests.

What is the best year of GS450 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1983-registered examples do best (85.9%) and 1980 worst (73.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a GS450 last?

The median GS450 shows 27,550 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 70.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.