ARIEL ARROW

250cc Petrol Class 2

#222 of 5426 overall #2 of 10 ARIELs #136 of 2787 other bikes

93.6%

first-time pass rate

1.9%

failed outright

19,558

median miles at test

1,599

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The ARROW's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.2 points since 2006, 97.1% to 93.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ARROW's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ARROW passes first time 95.6% of the time; by 50k that's 95.8%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a ARROW

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	25	33.8	0.2×
steering and suspension	14	18.9	0.2×
brakes	12	16.2	0.1×
tyres and wheels	10	13.5	0.3×
body and structure	6	8.1	0.7×
driving controls	2	2.7	0.5×
drive system	2	2.7	0.2×
Items Not Tested	2	2.7	1.4×
reg plates and vin	1	1.4	0.1×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the ARROW beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F, HONDA XR250).

YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the ARROW.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1965 (96.0% pass). Weakest: 1964 (90.0%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

ARIEL ARROW FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ARIEL ARROW reliable?

The ARIEL ARROW is more reliable than average for its class: 93.6% of its 1,599 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #222 of 5426 models.

What does a ARROW fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 34% of all defects recorded against failed ARROW tests.

What is the best year of ARROW to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1965-registered examples do best (96.0%) and 1964 worst (90.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ARROW last?

The median ARROW shows 19,558 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 95.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.