Honda GL 1800 A-4 vs Yamaha FJR1300A

The Honda GL 1800 A-4 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FJR1300A: 93.8% vs 90.2%, a 3.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda GL 1800 A-4	Yamaha FJR1300A
First-time pass rate	93.8%	90.2%
Outright fail rate	3.8%	6.0%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+10.9 pts	+7.0 pts
Engine size	1,832cc	1,298cc
Rank among all models	#198 of 5428	#884 of 5428
Median miles at test	26,514	25,551
MOT tests analysed	824	27,867
Most common failure	steering and suspension	brakes

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.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	Honda GL 1800 A-4	Yamaha FJR1300A
Steering & suspension	1.7%	2.4%
Brakes	1.2%	2.3%
Tyres & wheels	1.6%	1.7%
Lights & signalling	0.7%	1.0%
Structure & body	0.2%	0.1%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Honda GL 1800 A-4	Yamaha FJR1300A
2016	95.7%	90.2%
2017	97.6%	91.5%
2018	93.5%	90.3%
2019	94.3%	89.6%
2020	84.4%	90.0%
2021	97.2%	90.4%
2022	94.1%	90.4%
2023	94.4%	89.4%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

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

Mileage	Honda GL 1800 A-4	Yamaha FJR1300A
0k-10k miles	96.8%	93.7%
10k-20k miles	92.7%	92.4%
20k-30k miles	94.4%	90.2%
30k-40k miles	93.4%	89.3%
40k-50k miles	93.7%	87.1%
50k-60k miles	90.3%	87.1%

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

Honda GL 1800 A-4 vs Yamaha FJR1300A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda GL 1800 A-4 or the Yamaha FJR1300A?

The Honda GL 1800 A-4 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FJR1300A: 93.8% vs 90.2%, a 3.6-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda GL 1800 A-4 still comes out ahead: +10.9 points vs comparable bikes for the Honda GL 1800 A-4, +7.0 for the Yamaha FJR1300A. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Honda GL 1800 A-4 fail its MOT on most?

Steering & suspension: 1.7% of Honda GL 1800 A-4 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.6%).

What does the Yamaha FJR1300A fail its MOT on most?

Steering & suspension: 2.4% of Yamaha FJR1300A MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (2.3%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Honda GL 1800 A-4 or the Yamaha FJR1300A?

At 50k-60k miles the Honda GL 1800 A-4 passes first time more often: 90.3% for the Honda GL 1800 A-4 vs 87.1% for the Yamaha FJR1300A.

HONDA GL 1800 A-4 93.8% pass · 824 tests YAMAHA FJR1300A 90.2% pass · 27.9k tests

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