Suzuki DR800
Real ownership data from 169 UK DR800 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common DR800 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | fail | 17.6% |
| Brakes | fail | 16.2% |
| Suspension | fail | 7.5% |
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 7.6% |
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 5% |
| Tyres | fail | 4.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 3.9% |
| Other | major | 3.9% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is other.
DR800 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 8 | 29,304 mi | 4,125 | 88% |
| 1999 | 5 | 33,417 mi | 204 | 56% |
| 1998 | 9 | 43,121 mi | 1,304 | 86.75% |
| 1997 | 5 | 24,199 mi | 957 | 75.61% |
| 1996 | 6 | 30,329 mi | 1,846 | 73.53% |
| 1995 | 7 | 31,587 mi | 1,770 | 75.56% |
| 1992 | 9 | 23,420 mi | 1,297 | 81.48% |
| 1991 | 35 | 29,046 mi | 276 | 84.29% |
| 1990 | 43 | 28,972 mi | 269 | 78.14% |
DR800 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Suzuki DR800?
Across 169 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (17.6% of all recorded faults), brakes (16.2% of all recorded faults), suspension (7.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Suzuki DR800?
The median Suzuki DR800 in the UK has covered 27,352 miles, and typically rides about 382 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 18,872 and 40,969 miles.
Is the Suzuki DR800 reliable?
80.42% of Suzuki DR800 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.32 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 169 Suzuki DR800 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.