HONDA VT250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3733 of 5426 overall #677 of 921 HONDAs #2372 of 2787 other bikes

79.2%

first-time pass rate

14.3%

failed outright

26,006

median miles at test

985

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The VT250's first-time pass rate has risen 7.6 points since 2006, 77.7% to 85.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VT250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VT250 passes first time 89.4% of the time; by 50k that's 68.1%.

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 VT250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	124	35.6	2.6×
lighting and signalling	69	19.8	1.3×
brakes	50	14.4	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	25	7.2	2.8×
tyres and wheels	20	5.7	0.9×
body and structure	15	4.3	2.3×
drive system	14	4	2.0×
driving controls	13	3.7	5.6×
suspension	10	2.9	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	8	2.3	0.4×

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 VT250 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 VT250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1983 (85.8% pass). Weakest: 1987 (69.8%).

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 VT250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VT250 reliable?

The HONDA VT250 is less reliable than average for its class: 79.2% of its 985 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3733 of 5426 models.

What does a VT250 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 36% of all defects recorded against failed VT250 tests.

What is the best year of VT250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1983-registered examples do best (85.8%) and 1987 worst (69.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VT250 last?

The median VT250 shows 26,006 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 68.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.