BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ HONDA/SJ50
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

HONDA SJ50

49cc Petrol Class 1
#4137 of 5428 overall #788 of 920 HONDAs #115 of 456 moped bikes
76.4%
first-time pass rate
18.1%
failed outright
11,305
median miles at test
2,109
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+3.6pp
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 · 2005–2020

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

62%78%93%2005: 79.4% pass (97 tests)2006: 77.3% pass (313 tests)2007: 75.3% pass (271 tests)2008: 76.3% pass (215 tests)2009: 71.3% pass (188 tests)2010: 80.9% pass (162 tests)2011: 78.1% pass (151 tests)2012: 67.0% pass (112 tests)2013: 67.3% pass (107 tests)2014: 71.6% pass (81 tests)2015: 80.6% pass (67 tests)2016: 70.1% pass (67 tests)2017: 88.1% pass (59 tests)2018: 86.8% pass (38 tests)2019: 79.4% pass (34 tests)2020: 80.0% pass (35 tests)20052020

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%.

67%73%80%0k: 77.9% pass (891 tests)10k: 77.0% pass (952 tests)20k: 69.8% pass (215 tests)30k: 69.0% pass (42 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 SJ50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects 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 Compare head-to-head →
PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests Compare head-to-head →
PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests Compare head-to-head →
PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 SJ50.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the SJ50

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: 2000 (84.8%). Lowest: 1995 (70.6%). Every SJ50 year compared →

68%78%88%1993: 78.8% pass (80 tests)1994: 72.8% pass (125 tests)1995: 70.6% pass (136 tests)1996: 77.5% pass (320 tests)1997: 77.6% pass (522 tests)1998: 75.1% pass (362 tests)1999: 76.9% pass (386 tests)2000: 84.8% pass (138 tests)199319972000

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 #4137 of 5428 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, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

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