BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ CAN AM/BOMBARDIER
Model report · 2005–2025

CAN AM BOMBARDIER

250cc Petrol Class 2
#2411 of 5428 overall #1 of 1 CAN AMs #1508 of 2788 other bikes
85.3%
first-time pass rate
7.8%
failed outright
8,980
median miles at test
232
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-0.8pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

What fails on a BOMBARDIER

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects
lighting and signalling
23 43.4
steering and suspension
11 20.8
drive system
3 5.7
brakes
3 5.7
reg plates and vin
3 5.7
fuel and exhaust
3 5.7
tyres and wheels
3 5.7
lamps and reflectors
2 3.8
body and structure
2 3.8

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

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

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

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 BOMBARDIER.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Bombardier

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1980 (80.8% pass). Weakest: 1980 (80.8%).

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.

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