Buell XB12XT vs Suzuki GSF1200

The Buell XB12XT passes its MOT first time more often than the Suzuki GSF1200: 89.0% vs 82.4%, a 6.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Buell XB12XT	Suzuki GSF1200
First-time pass rate	89.0%	82.4%
Outright fail rate	6.4%	8.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+3.3 pts	-1.2 pts
Engine size	1,202cc	1,157cc
Median miles at test	12,486	20,274
MOT tests analysed	109	97,637
Most common failure	lamps and reflectors	lighting and signalling

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Buell XB12XT	Suzuki GSF1200
0k-10k miles	97.1%	87.7%
10k-20k miles	88.0%	83.8%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

BUELL XB12XT 89.0% pass · 109 tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.