HONDA NSR250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#2491 of 5426 overall #367 of 921 HONDAs #1561 of 2787 other bikes

85.0%

first-time pass rate

6.5%

failed outright

16,678

median miles at test

911

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The NSR250's first-time pass rate has risen 14.7 points since 2006, 80.9% to 95.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the NSR250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage NSR250 passes first time 93.7% of the time; by 30k that's 82.2%.

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 NSR250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	52	40.6	0.9×
brakes	24	18.8	0.6×
steering and suspension	18	14.1	0.5×
tyres and wheels	16	12.5	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	4	3.1	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	4	3.1	0.3×
reg plates and vin	3	2.3	0.6×
steering	3	2.3	0.8×
Identification of the vehicle	2	1.6	0.5×
driving controls	2	1.6	0.9×

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 NSR250 beats 4 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 NSR250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1992 (93.1% pass). Weakest: 1987 (73.3%).

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 NSR250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NSR250 reliable?

The HONDA NSR250 is about average for its class: 85.0% of its 911 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2491 of 5426 models.

What does a NSR250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 41% of all defects recorded against failed NSR250 tests.

What is the best year of NSR250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1992-registered examples do best (93.1%) and 1987 worst (73.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NSR250 last?

The median NSR250 shows 16,678 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 82.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.