SUZUKI T500

498cc Petrol Class 2

#1639 of 5426 overall #187 of 680 SUZUKIs #998 of 2787 other bikes

87.9%

first-time pass rate

3.7%

failed outright

19,025

median miles at test

1,267

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The T500's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.2 points since 2006, 95.4% to 88.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the T500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage T500 passes first time 89.8% of the time; by 50k that's 87.5%.

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 T500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	30	28.8	0.6×
lighting and signalling	26	25	0.3×
brakes	14	13.5	0.2×
tyres and wheels	13	12.5	0.4×
fuel and exhaust	6	5.8	0.6×
body and structure	5	4.8	0.7×
drive system	4	3.8	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	3	2.9	0.2×
driving controls	2	1.9	0.7×
structure and attachments	1	1	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 T500 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 SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 T500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1974 (91.0% pass). Weakest: 1971 (85.7%).

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 T500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI T500 reliable?

The SUZUKI T500 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.9% of its 1,267 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1639 of 5426 models.

What does a T500 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 29% of all defects recorded against failed T500 tests.

What is the best year of T500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1974-registered examples do best (91.0%) and 1971 worst (85.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a T500 last?

The median T500 shows 19,025 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.