ARIEL LEADER

250cc Petrol Class 2

#330 of 5426 overall #4 of 10 ARIELs #10 of 412 scooter bikes

92.8%

first-time pass rate

3.0%

failed outright

15,191

median miles at test

1,122

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The LEADER's first-time pass rate has risen 3.4 points since 2006, 90.1% to 93.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage LEADER passes first time 93.2% of the time; by 50k that's 92.7%.

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 LEADER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	23	30.7	0.2×
brakes	20	26.7	0.3×
steering and suspension	17	22.7	0.4×
tyres and wheels	6	8	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	4	5.3	0.4×
drive system	3	4	0.2×
Items Not Tested	1	1.3	1.0×
body and structure	1	1.3	0.2×

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 LEADER beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PIAGGIO PX 200 E, PIAGGIO X9, LAMBRETTA GP200).

PIAGGIO PX 200 E 86.5% pass · 28.4k tests PIAGGIO X9 77.0% pass · 21.7k tests LAMBRETTA GP200 87.8% pass · 19.9k tests HONDA Forza 300/350 89.6% pass · 10.8k 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 LEADER.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1963 (96.2% pass). Weakest: 1971 (87.5%).

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 LEADER FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the ARIEL LEADER reliable?

The ARIEL LEADER is more reliable than average for its class: 92.8% of its 1,122 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #330 of 5426 models.

What does a LEADER fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed LEADER tests.

What is the best year of LEADER to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1963-registered examples do best (96.2%) and 1971 worst (87.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a LEADER last?

The median LEADER shows 15,191 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 92.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.