Suzuki VL 800 L1
Real ownership data from 54 UK VL 800 L1 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common VL 800 L1 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 19.2% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 7.5% |
| Brakes | major | 7.5% |
| Electrical | prs | 2.5% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 1.7% |
| Other | dangerous | 1.7% |
| Controls and cables | major | 0.8% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is tyres.
VL 800 L1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 21 | 12,241 mi | 642 | 88.02% |
| 2011 | 29 | 15,982 mi | 1,174 | 88.83% |
VL 800 L1 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Suzuki VL 800 L1?
Across 54 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (19.2% of all recorded faults), tyres (7.5% of all recorded faults), brakes (7.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Suzuki VL 800 L1?
The median Suzuki VL 800 L1 in the UK has covered 12,470 miles, and typically rides about 1,052 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 8,171 and 21,048 miles.
Is the Suzuki VL 800 L1 reliable?
89.4% of Suzuki VL 800 L1 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.26 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 54 Suzuki VL 800 L1 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.