BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HONDA/CH250
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

HONDA CH250

249cc Petrol Class 2
#2197 of 5428 overall #312 of 920 HONDAs #1360 of 2788 other bikes
86.0%
first-time pass rate
9.3%
failed outright
20,179
median miles at test
572
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+1.9pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2013

The CH250's first-time pass rate has risen 2.4 points since 2006, 80.9% to 83.3%.

64%79%94%2006: 80.9% pass (47 tests)2007: 84.8% pass (46 tests)2008: 89.1% pass (46 tests)2009: 69.4% pass (36 tests)2010: 79.5% pass (39 tests)2012: 81.8% pass (33 tests)2013: 83.3% pass (30 tests)20062013

Pass rate by mileage

how the CH250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CH250 passes first time 89.8% of the time; by 30k that's 83.5%.

82%87%91%0k: 89.8% pass (98 tests)10k: 88.2% pass (187 tests)20k: 83.7% pass (190 tests)30k: 83.5% pass (85 tests)0k20k30k

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 CH250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
25 25 0.9×
steering and suspension
19 19 0.9×
tyres and wheels
17 17 1.3×
lighting and signalling
17 17 0.5×
fuel and exhaust
7 7 1.6×
body and structure
5 5 1.5×
tyres
4 4 1.0×
reg plates and vin
2 2 0.6×
structure and attachments
2 2 0.5×
suspension
2 2 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 CH250 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F, HONDA XR250).

YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 tests Compare head-to-head →

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 CH250.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the CH250

More HONDA models

other HONDA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
HONDA CBR600F 81.7% pass · 202k tests
HONDA CBR900RR 83.2% pass · 166k tests
HONDA CBR1100XX 87.1% pass · 105k tests
HONDA CB500 83.3% pass · 105k tests
HONDA C90 79.3% pass · 92.8k tests
HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k tests

See all HONDA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 1987 (86.5%). Lowest: 1985 (85.2%). Every CH250 year compared →

84%86%87%1985: 85.2% pass (122 tests)1986: 86.0% pass (186 tests)1987: 86.5% pass (208 tests)198519861987

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 CH250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CH250 reliable?

The HONDA CH250 is about average for its class: 86.0% of its 572 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2197 of 5428 models.

What does a CH250 fail its MOT on most?

brakes: 25% of all defects recorded against failed CH250 tests.

What is the best year of CH250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1987-registered examples do best (86.5%) and 1985 worst (85.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CH250 last?

The median CH250 shows 20,179 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 83.5% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum: a live Honda CH250 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.