HONDA CB250

248cc Petrol Class 2

#3601 of 5426 overall #640 of 921 HONDAs #172 of 205 naked bikes

79.9%

first-time pass rate

11.4%

failed outright

25,338

median miles at test

17.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CB250's first-time pass rate has risen 8.7 points since 2005, 76.1% to 84.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB250 passes first time 86.6% of the time; by 50k that's 77.5%.

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 CB250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,146	24.8	1.1×
steering and suspension	1,005	21.8	1.3×
brakes	889	19.3	0.9×
tyres and wheels	397	8.6	1.0×
drive system	387	8.4	2.2×
lamps and reflectors	220	4.8	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	188	4.1	1.2×
body and structure	165	3.6	1.7×
structure and attachments	124	2.7	0.7×
driving controls	97	2.1	2.3×

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 CB250 beats 1 of its 1 closest rivals (HONDA CB250 N).

HONDA CB250 N 76.2% pass · 9,530 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 CB250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1970 (92.3% pass). Weakest: 1978 (75.4%).

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 CB250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB250 reliable?

The HONDA CB250 is less reliable than average for its class: 79.9% of its 17,302 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3601 of 5426 models.

What does a CB250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed CB250 tests.

What is the best year of CB250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1970-registered examples do best (92.3%) and 1978 worst (75.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB250 last?

The median CB250 shows 25,338 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.