Honda GL500
Real ownership data from 323 UK GL500 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common GL500 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | major | 12.2% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 10.6% |
| Suspension | major | 8.5% |
| Tyres | fail | 5.3% |
| Other | fail | 3.6% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2.2% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 1.4% |
| Electrical | fail | 1.1% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
GL500 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 6 | 32,856 mi | 672 | 70% |
| 1984 | 22 | 41,662 mi | 954 | 83.64% |
| 1983 | 89 | 39,377 mi | 405 | 77.12% |
| 1982 | 141 | 40,380 mi | 485 | 74.94% |
| 1981 | 29 | 41,306 mi | 1,321 | 76.97% |
GL500 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda GL500?
Across 323 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (12.2% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (10.6% of all recorded faults), suspension (8.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda GL500?
The median Honda GL500 in the UK has covered 40,486 miles, and typically rides about 554 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 28,425 and 53,735 miles.
Is the Honda GL500 reliable?
76.44% of Honda GL500 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 1.08 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 323 Honda GL500 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.