Honda GL Gold Wing (classic)
Real ownership data from 3,218 UK GL Gold Wing (classic) motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common GL Gold Wing (classic) problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 23.8% |
| Electrical | minor | 9.8% |
| Wheels | major | 6.6% |
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 3.7% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 3.3% |
| Fork seals | major | 2.9% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 2.5% |
| Tyres | fail | 2.5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is frame and structure.
GL Gold Wing (classic) mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 7 | 29,028 mi | 1,242 | 83.08% |
| 2003 | 12 | 29,916 mi | 1,073 | 94.29% |
| 2002 | 11 | 43,372 mi | 2,292 | 83.08% |
| 2001 | 50 | 40,717 mi | 1,263 | 87.56% |
| 2000 | 216 | 36,298 mi | 1,172 | 89.5% |
| 1999 | 199 | 39,530 mi | 1,244 | 88.06% |
| 1998 | 206 | 45,320 mi | 1,230 | 89.16% |
| 1997 | 171 | 41,718 mi | 1,113 | 88.21% |
| 1996 | 91 | 40,968 mi | 990 | 87.92% |
| 1995 | 95 | 50,073 mi | 880 | 87.1% |
| 1994 | 81 | 57,958 mi | 1,170 | 88.12% |
| 1993 | 82 | 55,396 mi | 873 | 86.53% |
| 1992 | 142 | 57,902 mi | 1,036 | 87.58% |
| 1991 | 252 | 59,776 mi | 1,010 | 87.32% |
| 1990 | 219 | 60,732 mi | 718 | 86.22% |
| 1989 | 280 | 57,899 mi | 789 | 84.4% |
| 1988 | 180 | 60,552 mi | 840 | 83.76% |
| 1987 | 110 | 60,364 mi | 440 | 81.14% |
| 1986 | 190 | 55,570 mi | 598 | 81.33% |
| 1985 | 227 | 58,412 mi | 612 | 81.51% |
GL Gold Wing (classic) questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Honda GL Gold Wing (classic)?
Across 3,218 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brake discs and pads (23.8% of all recorded faults), electrical (9.8% of all recorded faults), wheels (6.6% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Honda GL Gold Wing (classic)?
The median Honda GL Gold Wing (classic) in the UK has covered 53,286 miles, and typically rides about 917 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 35,929 and 70,928 miles.
Is the Honda GL Gold Wing (classic) reliable?
86.23% of Honda GL Gold Wing (classic) MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.01 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 3,218 Honda GL Gold Wing (classic) motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.