HONDA CB TWO FIFTY

233cc Petrol Class 2

#3940 of 5426 overall #745 of 921 HONDAs #2495 of 2787 other bikes

77.8%

first-time pass rate

13.3%

failed outright

23,591

median miles at test

5,844

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2020

The CB TWO FIFTY's first-time pass rate has risen 7.9 points since 2005, 74.8% to 82.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage CB TWO FIFTY passes first time 84.9% of the time; by 50k that's 74.5%.

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 CB TWO FIFTY

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	502	26.2	1.5×
steering and suspension	439	22.9	1.8×
brakes	366	19.1	1.1×
drive system	183	9.6	3.4×
tyres and wheels	177	9.2	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	78	4.1	1.4×
body and structure	69	3.6	1.9×
reg plates and vin	44	2.3	0.8×
driving controls	29	1.5	2.1×
lamps and reflectors	28	1.5	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 CB TWO FIFTY beats 0 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 CB TWO FIFTY.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1991 (87.7% pass). Weakest: 1982 (66.7%).

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 CB TWO FIFTY FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB TWO FIFTY reliable?

The HONDA CB TWO FIFTY is less reliable than average for its class: 77.8% of its 5,844 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3940 of 5426 models.

What does a CB TWO FIFTY fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 26% of all defects recorded against failed CB TWO FIFTY tests.

What is the best year of CB TWO FIFTY to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1991-registered examples do best (87.7%) and 1982 worst (66.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB TWO FIFTY last?

The median CB TWO FIFTY shows 23,591 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 74.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.