BSA STARFIRE

250cc Petrol Class 2

#798 of 5426 overall #39 of 62 BSAs #489 of 2787 other bikes

90.5%

first-time pass rate

3.3%

failed outright

11,348

median miles at test

1,254

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The STARFIRE's first-time pass rate has risen 3.2 points since 2006, 93.7% to 96.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage STARFIRE passes first time 88.6% of the time; by 30k that's 96.3%.

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 STARFIRE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	31	36.5	0.7×
lighting and signalling	24	28.2	0.3×
brakes	9	10.6	0.2×
tyres and wheels	7	8.2	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	6	7.1	0.6×
driving controls	3	3.5	0.7×
body and structure	2	2.4	0.3×
Items Not Tested	1	1.2	0.9×
reg plates and vin	1	1.2	0.1×
drive system	1	1.2	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 STARFIRE 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 STARFIRE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1968 (93.6% pass). Weakest: 1970 (88.9%).

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 STARFIRE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BSA STARFIRE reliable?

The BSA STARFIRE is more reliable than average for its class: 90.5% of its 1,254 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #798 of 5426 models.

What does a STARFIRE fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 36% of all defects recorded against failed STARFIRE tests.

What is the best year of STARFIRE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1968-registered examples do best (93.6%) and 1970 worst (88.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a STARFIRE last?

The median STARFIRE shows 11,348 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 96.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.