BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ SUZUKI/ GS500/By year
Registration-year report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Suzuki GS500: MOT pass rate by registration year

Which GS500 years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 76.4% average, from 44,924 DVSA tests.

2008
highest-passing year · 81.1%
1993
lowest-passing year · 68.1%
13.0pp
spread across 20 years

Pass rate by registration year

first-time pass rate · cohorts with 50 or more tests · registration year from first use date

Highest pass rate: 2008 (81.1% of 1,113 tests). Lowest: 1993 (68.1% of 1,004). Years more than two points below the model average: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997.

66%75%84%1989: 72.1% pass (506 tests)1990: 71.4% pass (738 tests)1991: 71.5% pass (775 tests)1992: 74.4% pass (963 tests)1993: 68.1% pass (1,004 tests)1994: 69.7% pass (1,918 tests)1995: 71.3% pass (1,439 tests)1996: 73.6% pass (1,998 tests)1997: 74.2% pass (4,167 tests)1998: 74.4% pass (3,644 tests)1999: 77.4% pass (3,058 tests)2000: 77.0% pass (2,735 tests)2001: 78.7% pass (3,468 tests)2002: 78.5% pass (3,359 tests)2003: 80.4% pass (5,031 tests)2004: 78.6% pass (4,597 tests)2005: 77.8% pass (2,077 tests)2006: 80.3% pass (1,155 tests)2007: 78.5% pass (999 tests)2008: 81.1% pass (1,113 tests)198919992008
RegisteredTestsFirst-time passvs model (76.4%)
1989 506 72.1% -4.3 pp
1990 738 71.4% -5.0 pp
1991 775 71.5% -4.9 pp
1992 963 74.4% -2.0 pp
1993 1,004 68.1% -8.3 pp
1994 1,918 69.7% -6.7 pp
1995 1,439 71.3% -5.1 pp
1996 1,998 73.6% -2.8 pp
1997 4,167 74.2% -2.2 pp
1998 3,644 74.4% -2.0 pp
1999 3,058 77.4% +1.0 pp
2000 2,735 77.0% +0.6 pp
2001 3,468 78.7% +2.3 pp
2002 3,359 78.5% +2.1 pp
2003 5,031 80.4% +4.0 pp
2004 4,597 78.6% +2.2 pp
2005 2,077 77.8% +1.4 pp
2006 1,155 80.3% +3.9 pp
2007 999 78.5% +2.1 pp
2008 1,113 81.1% +4.7 pp

Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025
73%78%83%2005: 76.0% pass (649 tests)2006: 80.1% pass (3,573 tests)2007: 77.2% pass (3,704 tests)2008: 76.5% pass (3,720 tests)2009: 75.3% pass (3,696 tests)2010: 74.5% pass (3,508 tests)2011: 74.9% pass (3,474 tests)2012: 75.6% pass (3,177 tests)2013: 74.6% pass (2,945 tests)2014: 74.8% pass (2,568 tests)2015: 75.5% pass (2,359 tests)2016: 75.8% pass (2,139 tests)2017: 76.6% pass (1,835 tests)2018: 75.8% pass (1,240 tests)2019: 79.4% pass (1,159 tests)2020: 76.9% pass (970 tests)2021: 78.9% pass (1,134 tests)2022: 80.6% pass (991 tests)2023: 78.2% pass (884 tests)2024: 79.7% pass (606 tests)2025: 81.5% pass (593 tests)20052025

Questions

Which GS500 years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 registered examples pass first time less often than the Suzuki GS500 overall (76.4%); the 1993 cohort is lowest at 68.1% from 1,004 tests.
Which GS500 year has the highest MOT pass rate?
2008, at 81.1% of 1,113 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008.
How much does the GS500 pass rate vary by year?
13.0 percentage points between the highest (2008, 81.1%) and lowest (1993, 68.1%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

Full report: Suzuki GS500 reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #4137 of 5428 models· other Suzuki models: GSXR600, GSF600, GSXR750, GSF1200, GSXR1000, SV650S