SUZUKI GW 250 L3

248cc Petrol Class 2

#2016 of 5426 overall #238 of 680 SUZUKIs #1223 of 2787 other bikes

86.6%

first-time pass rate

7.6%

failed outright

9,857

median miles at test

2,927

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2015–2025

The GW 250 L3's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.0 points since 2015, 90.5% to 88.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the GW 250 L3's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GW 250 L3 passes first time 93.2% of the time; by 40k that's 72.7%.

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 GW 250 L3

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	130	31	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	69	16.4	1.1×
structure and attachments	45	10.7	1.8×
suspension	45	10.7	1.7×
lighting and signalling	35	8.3	0.2×
tyres	34	8.1	1.6×
steering and suspension	23	5.5	0.2×
drive system	20	4.8	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	11	2.6	0.3×
tyres and wheels	8	1.9	0.1×

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 GW 250 L3 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F, HONDA XR250).

YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 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 GW 250 L3.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (86.8% pass). Weakest: 2012 (85.3%).

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 GW 250 L3 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI GW 250 L3 reliable?

The SUZUKI GW 250 L3 is about average for its class: 86.6% of its 2,927 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2016 of 5426 models.

What does a GW 250 L3 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 31% of all defects recorded against failed GW 250 L3 tests.

How many miles will a GW 250 L3 last?

The median GW 250 L3 shows 9,857 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 72.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.