HONDA SS50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#2893 of 5426 overall #459 of 921 HONDAs #48 of 455 moped bikes

83.3%

first-time pass rate

9.6%

failed outright

12,317

median miles at test

684

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The SS50's first-time pass rate has risen 10.0 points since 2006, 80.0% to 90.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SS50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SS50 passes first time 85.8% of the time; by 20k that's 78.3%.

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 SS50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	111	50.2	1.6×
steering and suspension	41	18.6	1.2×
tyres and wheels	20	9	1.2×
brakes	20	9	0.6×
drive system	7	3.2	1.4×
driving controls	6	2.7	3.7×
reg plates and vin	5	2.3	1.3×
body and structure	5	2.3	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	5	2.3	0.8×
structure and attachments	1	0.5	0.2×

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 SS50 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 SS50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1971 (86.5% pass). Weakest: 1976 (80.3%).

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 SS50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SS50 reliable?

The HONDA SS50 is more reliable than average for its class: 83.3% of its 684 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2893 of 5426 models.

What does a SS50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 50% of all defects recorded against failed SS50 tests.

What is the best year of SS50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1971-registered examples do best (86.5%) and 1976 worst (80.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SS50 last?

The median SS50 shows 12,317 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 78.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.