HONDA CB250RS

248cc Petrol Class 2

#3666 of 5426 overall #661 of 921 HONDAs #175 of 205 naked bikes

79.6%

first-time pass rate

10.7%

failed outright

31,936

median miles at test

1,464

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2021

The CB250RS's first-time pass rate has risen 11.6 points since 2006, 80.5% to 92.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB250RS's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB250RS passes first time 86.5% of the time; by 50k that's 72.1%.

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 CB250RS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	116	29.3	1.0×
steering and suspension	91	23	1.3×
brakes	51	12.9	0.7×
tyres and wheels	42	10.6	1.3×
drive system	33	8.3	2.0×
body and structure	27	6.8	2.6×
lamps and reflectors	13	3.3	0.3×
driving controls	9	2.3	2.3×
fuel and exhaust	9	2.3	0.8×
reg plates and vin	5	1.3	0.6×

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 CB250RS beats 1 of its 2 closest rivals (HONDA CB250, HONDA CB250 N).

HONDA CB250 79.9% pass · 17.3k tests 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 CB250RS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1980 (80.7% pass). Weakest: 1981 (79.1%).

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 CB250RS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB250RS reliable?

The HONDA CB250RS is less reliable than average for its class: 79.6% of its 1,464 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3666 of 5426 models.

What does a CB250RS fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed CB250RS tests.

What is the best year of CB250RS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1980-registered examples do best (80.7%) and 1981 worst (79.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB250RS last?

The median CB250RS shows 31,936 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 72.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.