Honda GL500DC
Real ownership data from 445 UK GL500DC motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common GL500DC problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 23.6% |
| Brakes | fail | 9% |
| Suspension | fail | 5.6% |
| Other | dangerous | 4.9% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 4.2% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 3.5% |
| Tyres | fail | 1.4% |
| Corrosion | user entered | 1.4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
GL500DC 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 7 | 44,200 mi | 1,563 | 100% |
| 1984 | 69 | 68,086 mi | 457 | 65.38% |
| 1983 | 235 | 38,660 mi | 218 | 67.35% |
| 1982 | 125 | 44,063 mi | 354 | 78.79% |
GL500DC questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda GL500DC?
Across 445 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (23.6% of all recorded faults), brakes (9% of all recorded faults), suspension (5.6% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda GL500DC?
The median Honda GL500DC in the UK has covered 43,548 miles, and typically rides about 315 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 29,319 and 59,033 miles.
Is the Honda GL500DC reliable?
71.07% of Honda GL500DC MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.99 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 445 Honda GL500DC motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.