Honda GL650
Real ownership data from 112 UK GL650 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common GL650 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 8% |
| Suspension | major | 7.7% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 5% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 3.7% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 1.8% |
| Other | major | 2.3% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 1% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 0.9% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
GL650 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 32 | 41,304 mi | 659 | 73.16% |
| 1985 | 23 | 37,636 mi | 304 | 81.76% |
| 1984 | 10 | 44,617 mi | 331 | 80.43% |
| 1983 | 29 | 33,455 mi | 334 | 84.65% |
GL650 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda GL650?
Across 112 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (8% of all recorded faults), suspension (7.7% of all recorded faults), brakes (5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda GL650?
The median Honda GL650 in the UK has covered 40,307 miles, and typically rides about 434 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 27,352 and 51,362 miles.
Is the Honda GL650 reliable?
80.41% of Honda GL650 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 112 Honda GL650 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.