HONDA C50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#3242 of 5426 overall #544 of 921 HONDAs #63 of 455 moped bikes

81.7%

first-time pass rate

10.6%

failed outright

11,256

median miles at test

6,237

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The C50's first-time pass rate has risen 18.2 points since 2005, 75.3% to 93.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the C50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage C50 passes first time 83.3% of the time; by 50k that's 79.6%.

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 C50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	624	37.3	1.2×
steering and suspension	310	18.5	1.2×
brakes	197	11.8	0.6×
tyres and wheels	194	11.6	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	99	5.9	0.6×
body and structure	66	3.9	1.9×
drive system	62	3.7	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	52	3.1	1.0×
structure and attachments	42	2.5	0.7×
suspension	26	1.6	0.4×

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 C50 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 C50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (93.2% pass). Weakest: 1978 (74.4%).

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.

HONDA C50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA C50 reliable?

The HONDA C50 is more reliable than average for its class: 81.7% of its 6,237 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3242 of 5426 models.

What does a C50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 37% of all defects recorded against failed C50 tests.

What is the best year of C50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (93.2%) and 1978 worst (74.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a C50 last?

The median C50 shows 11,256 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.