Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1995 Suzuki Gs500?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 1995 Suzuki Gs500?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 1995 Suzuki Gs500?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 1995 Suzuki Gs500 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 250 vehicles, the 1995 Suzuki Gs500 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 77.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1995 Suzuki Gs500?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1995 Suzuki Gs500 are: Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (38% of vehicles), Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (32.6% of vehicles), Drive chain slightly loose (26.8% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 1995 Suzuki Gs500?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Suzuki Gs500 (1995)

250 real MOT outcomes analysed • 77.9% first-time pass rate

1995 Suzuki Gs500

CarHunch analysed 250 real MOT records for the 1995 Suzuki Gs500. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The GS500's first-time pass rate of 77.9% is slightly below the UK average of 80%, suggesting these nearly 30-year-old bikes need a bit more attention than average, though the 13.6% dangerous defect rate isn't alarming enough to rule one out. At a median of 27,824 miles, most survivors of this vintage are either cherished garage queens or carefully ridden commuters rather than abused mile-munchers, which explains why they're holding together reasonably well.

Expect around 1.7 failures and 5.8 advisories per MOT—typical wear items like cables, lights, and exhaust seals rather than structural nightmares. Before buying, get a pre-purchase inspection focused on the frame, swing-arm bearings, and any corrosion, since a low-mileage example might hide decades of weather damage that MOT won't always catch.

We have limited data for the 1995 Suzuki Gs500 — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

77.9%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

13.6%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.68

Over 7.3 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

28k

Middle half: 20k–38k

For context

These stats describe 250 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 250 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 38%

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Lighting 26.8%

Drive chain slightly loose · Headlamp aim too high · Rear Drive chain sprocket slightly worn

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Other issues 24.4%

Drive chain worn but not considered excessive · Drive chain excessively loose

Brake wear 22.6%

Rear Brake disc(s) slightly scored · Rear Brake disc(s) slightly worn · Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Suspension & steering 15.7%

Nearside Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion · Offside Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion · Steering headbearing has slight free play · …

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1995.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 250 Suzuki Gs500 cars.

Before you buy a 1995 Suzuki Gs500

Based on MOT data from 250 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 13.6% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 5,984 Suzuki Gs500 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 33.4%

2,000

Black 31.3%

1,871

Red 15.1%

906

Green 6.9%

414

Yellow 4.7%

284

Purple 2.5%

151

White 2.5%

150

Orange 1.6%

Grey 1%

Silver 0.4%

Turquoise 0.3%

Multi-colour 0.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1995 Suzuki Gs500 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

27,824

typical

20,432

low mileage

38,269

high mileage

Half of all 1995 Suzuki Gs500 vehicles fall between 20,432 and 38,269 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 20,432 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 20,432–38,269 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1995 Suzuki Gs500s sit.

⚠ Over 51,663 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1995 Suzuki Gs500 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 22% of 1995 Suzuki Gs500s are still active.

Numbers are declining — 14 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (22% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

7.3

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.68

Avg failures per vehicle

5.8

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Suzuki Gs500: All Gs500 years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

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Average reliability — agree?