HONDA CN250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3165 of 5426 overall #521 of 921 HONDAs #2014 of 2787 other bikes

82.1%

first-time pass rate

12.7%

failed outright

23,406

median miles at test

1,308

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CN250's first-time pass rate has risen 4.7 points since 2005, 82.1% to 86.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CN250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CN250 passes first time 86.7% of the time; by 50k that's 72.7%.

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 CN250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	78	23.3	1.1×
tyres and wheels	66	19.7	2.1×
lighting and signalling	54	16.1	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	49	14.6	4.5×
steering and suspension	33	9.9	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	20	6	0.7×
reg plates and vin	13	3.9	1.5×
tyres	12	3.6	1.1×
structure and attachments	5	1.5	0.4×
body and structure	5	1.5	0.8×

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 CN250 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 CN250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1992 (90.1% pass). Weakest: 1991 (79.9%).

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 CN250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CN250 reliable?

The HONDA CN250 is less reliable than average for its class: 82.1% of its 1,308 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3165 of 5426 models.

What does a CN250 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 23% of all defects recorded against failed CN250 tests.

What is the best year of CN250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1992-registered examples do best (90.1%) and 1991 worst (79.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CN250 last?

The median CN250 shows 23,406 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 72.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.