Honda GL1100
Real ownership data from 852 UK GL1100 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common GL1100 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | major | 17.6% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 11.1% |
| Tyres | fail | 4.7% |
| Suspension | major | 4.5% |
| Other | fail | 3.4% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 1.9% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 1.6% |
| Corrosion | fail | 1.1% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
GL1100 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 10 | 37,385 mi | 869 | 80% |
| 1996 | 5 | 57,639 mi | 503 | 95.83% |
| 1995 | 12 | 54,469 mi | 659 | 72.41% |
| 1991 | 9 | 59,829 mi | 260 | 78.57% |
| 1985 | 7 | 44,601 mi | 385 | 80.56% |
| 1984 | 35 | 44,938 mi | 367 | 80.38% |
| 1983 | 209 | 51,262 mi | 492 | 80.74% |
| 1982 | 209 | 46,852 mi | 536 | 78.58% |
| 1981 | 168 | 43,634 mi | 377 | 78.86% |
| 1980 | 126 | 49,002 mi | 390 | 82.16% |
GL1100 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda GL1100?
Across 852 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (17.6% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (11.1% of all recorded faults), tyres (4.7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda GL1100?
The median Honda GL1100 in the UK has covered 47,248 miles, and typically rides about 440 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 33,570 and 60,201 miles.
Is the Honda GL1100 reliable?
79.63% of Honda GL1100 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.87 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 852 Honda GL1100 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.