Photo: PekePON, CC BY-SA 3.0
Suzuki
Gsf1200
7,231 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Gsf1200s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 6.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
83.8%
Pass-after-fix
8.3%
Fail
7.6%
Avg miles
28,887
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Gsf1200: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 4,946 MOT tests, the Gsf1200 returns 84.4% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a non-functioning shock absorber. Tyre tread under the limit and rate of flashing not between 60 round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 28,632, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 4–22
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
4–22
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
- 01
Rate of flashing not between 60 and 120 times per minute
68 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 02
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
57 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 03
A lamp missing or inoperative
48 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 04
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
46 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 05
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
44 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 06
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
42 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 07
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
39 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 08
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
39 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 09
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
34 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 10
Projected beam image is obviously incorrect
31 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£75–£130
If every one of this Gsf1200's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
MOT-spec replacement number plate
Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Suzuki Silky Silver Metallic 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
equip
Equip ELF039 Suzuki Petrol and Diesel Locking Fuel Cap
£8.79
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Suzuki Carry Van Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Suzuki Grand Vitara SWB 1998-2005 Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping a Gsf1200?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Gsf1200 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.