HONDA SJ50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#4134 of 5426 overall #788 of 921 HONDAs #115 of 455 moped bikes

76.4%

first-time pass rate

18.1%

failed outright

11,305

median miles at test

2,109

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2020

The SJ50's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (79.4% → 80.0%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the SJ50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SJ50 passes first time 77.9% of the time; by 30k that's 69.0%.

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 SJ50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	306	33	2.3×
brakes	281	30.3	2.1×
steering and suspension	119	12.8	1.5×
tyres and wheels	115	12.4	2.4×
fuel and exhaust	42	4.5	2.4×
reg plates and vin	21	2.3	1.6×
lamps and reflectors	18	1.9	0.4×
body and structure	9	1	0.9×
tyres	9	1	0.6×
driving controls	7	0.8	1.4×

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 SJ50 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 SJ50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (84.8% pass). Weakest: 1995 (70.6%).

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 SJ50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SJ50 reliable?

The HONDA SJ50 is more reliable than average for its class: 76.4% of its 2,109 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4134 of 5426 models.

What does a SJ50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed SJ50 tests.

What is the best year of SJ50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (84.8%) and 1995 worst (70.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SJ50 last?

The median SJ50 shows 11,305 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 69.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.