BSA C15

250cc Petrol Class 2

#1212 of 5426 overall #53 of 62 BSAs #743 of 2787 other bikes

89.2%

first-time pass rate

5.3%

failed outright

14,164

median miles at test

5,892

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2019

The C15's first-time pass rate has risen 4.0 points since 2005, 89.9% to 93.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the C15's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage C15 passes first time 89.7% of the time; by 50k that's 92.1%.

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 C15

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	228	33.2	0.9×
lighting and signalling	206	30	0.6×
brakes	101	14.7	0.3×
tyres and wheels	61	8.9	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	27	3.9	0.6×
body and structure	23	3.3	0.7×
drive system	20	2.9	0.4×
driving controls	11	1.6	0.7×
Items Not Tested	5	0.7	0.7×
reg plates and vin	5	0.7	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 C15 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 C15.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1963 (92.2% pass). Weakest: 1966 (87.8%).

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.

BSA C15 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BSA C15 reliable?

The BSA C15 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.2% of its 5,892 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1212 of 5426 models.

What does a C15 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 33% of all defects recorded against failed C15 tests.

What is the best year of C15 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1963-registered examples do best (92.2%) and 1966 worst (87.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a C15 last?

The median C15 shows 14,164 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 92.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.