HONDA CM250

248cc Petrol Class 2

#3997 of 5426 overall #760 of 921 HONDAs #2531 of 2787 other bikes

77.4%

first-time pass rate

13.6%

failed outright

25,632

median miles at test

1,515

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2022

The CM250's first-time pass rate has risen 21.0 points since 2005, 75.8% to 96.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CM250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CM250 passes first time 78.9% of the time; by 50k that's 72.4%.

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 CM250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	151	28.1	1.6×
steering and suspension	109	20.3	1.6×
brakes	95	17.7	1.0×
tyres and wheels	60	11.2	1.7×
drive system	44	8.2	3.0×
fuel and exhaust	26	4.8	1.9×
body and structure	15	2.8	1.7×
driving controls	13	2.4	3.7×
lamps and reflectors	13	2.4	0.3×
reg plates and vin	12	2.2	1.3×

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 CM250 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 CM250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1983 (76.9% pass). Weakest: 1981 (75.5%).

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 CM250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CM250 reliable?

The HONDA CM250 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.4% of its 1,515 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3997 of 5426 models.

What does a CM250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CM250 tests.

What is the best year of CM250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1983-registered examples do best (76.9%) and 1981 worst (75.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CM250 last?

The median CM250 shows 25,632 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 72.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.