Suzuki DR650
Real ownership data from 633 UK DR650 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common DR650 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 18.5% |
| Other | fail | 17.5% |
| Electrical | fail | 8.9% |
| Wheels | fail | 7.2% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 7% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 4.2% |
| Fluid leaks | user entered | 3% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 2.6% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is corrosion.
DR650 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8 | 2,694 mi | 273 | 100% |
| 2015 | 7 | 26,139 mi | 356 | 93.88% |
| 2013 | 8 | 10,630 mi | 860 | 90% |
| 2009 | 5 | 12,094 mi | 716 | 82.86% |
| 2007 | 6 | 24,055 mi | 1,706 | 89.66% |
| 2006 | 8 | 14,188 mi | 1,270 | 89.13% |
| 2005 | 12 | 18,732 mi | 368 | 82.56% |
| 2004 | 12 | 32,738 mi | 1,633 | 79.12% |
| 2003 | 19 | 25,840 mi | 1,055 | 70.97% |
| 2002 | 25 | 24,606 mi | 1,080 | 80.79% |
| 2001 | 18 | 27,017 mi | 353 | 79.59% |
| 2000 | 22 | 17,278 mi | 746 | 77.04% |
| 1999 | 23 | 15,776 mi | 381 | 83.7% |
| 1998 | 31 | 24,101 mi | 724 | 78.02% |
| 1997 | 47 | 19,302 mi | 348 | 80.46% |
| 1996 | 125 | 19,957 mi | 556 | 82.25% |
| 1995 | 40 | 20,370 mi | 499 | 76.16% |
| 1994 | 53 | 21,860 mi | 543 | 76.7% |
| 1993 | 32 | 24,772 mi | 521 | 74.19% |
| 1992 | 42 | 27,250 mi | 288 | 78.35% |
DR650 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Suzuki DR650?
Across 633 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are chain and sprockets (18.5% of all recorded faults), other (17.5% of all recorded faults), electrical (8.9% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Suzuki DR650?
The median Suzuki DR650 in the UK has covered 21,834 miles, and typically rides about 524 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 13,195 and 32,215 miles.
Is the Suzuki DR650 reliable?
79.95% of Suzuki DR650 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.08 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 633 Suzuki DR650 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.