HONDA CD250U

233cc Petrol Class 2

#3626 of 5426 overall #651 of 921 HONDAs #2313 of 2787 other bikes

79.8%

first-time pass rate

11.5%

failed outright

28,264

median miles at test

4,265

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CD250U's first-time pass rate has risen 9.2 points since 2005, 77.4% to 86.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CD250U's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CD250U passes first time 84.1% of the time; by 50k that's 75.2%.

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 CD250U

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	288	23.2	1.2×
brakes	269	21.7	1.1×
steering and suspension	171	13.8	1.0×
drive system	155	12.5	3.3×
tyres and wheels	122	9.8	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	76	6.1	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	68	5.5	1.8×
body and structure	32	2.6	1.4×
reg plates and vin	30	2.4	0.9×
driving controls	29	2.3	2.9×

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 CD250U beats 2 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 CD250U.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1994 (85.3% pass). Weakest: 1989 (77.9%).

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 CD250U FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CD250U reliable?

The HONDA CD250U is less reliable than average for its class: 79.8% of its 4,265 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3626 of 5426 models.

What does a CD250U fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 23% of all defects recorded against failed CD250U tests.

What is the best year of CD250U to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1995-registered examples do best (85.3%) and 1989 worst (77.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CD250U last?

The median CD250U shows 28,264 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.