Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Honda XL250: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which XL250 years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 80.0% average, from 4,564 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1989 (88.7% of 71 tests). Lowest: 1987 (71.0% of 93). Years more than two points below the model average: 1974, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1993.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (80.0%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 130 | 82.3% | +2.3 pp |
| 1972 | 120 | 83.3% | +3.3 pp |
| 1973 | 75 | 80.0% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 84 | 75.0% | -5.0 pp |
| 1975 | 123 | 86.2% | +6.2 pp |
| 1976 | 93 | 79.6% | -0.4 pp |
| 1977 | 144 | 81.3% | +1.3 pp |
| 1978 | 228 | 84.6% | +4.6 pp |
| 1979 | 336 | 82.7% | +2.7 pp |
| 1980 | 465 | 75.9% | -4.1 pp |
| 1981 | 400 | 75.3% | -4.7 pp |
| 1982 | 345 | 74.8% | -5.2 pp |
| 1983 | 267 | 85.0% | +5.0 pp |
| 1984 | 305 | 79.7% | -0.3 pp |
| 1985 | 120 | 73.3% | -6.7 pp |
| 1986 | 200 | 83.0% | +3.0 pp |
| 1987 | 93 | 71.0% | -9.0 pp |
| 1989 | 71 | 88.7% | +8.7 pp |
| 1990 | 57 | 75.4% | -4.6 pp |
| 1991 | 224 | 81.3% | +1.3 pp |
| 1992 | 185 | 78.9% | -1.1 pp |
| 1993 | 70 | 74.3% | -5.7 pp |
| 1995 | 52 | 88.5% | +8.5 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which XL250 years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1974, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1993 registered examples pass first time less often than the Honda XL250 overall (80.0%); the 1987 cohort is lowest at 71.0% from 93 tests.
- Which XL250 year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1989, at 88.7% of 71 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995.
- How much does the XL250 pass rate vary by year?
- 17.7 percentage points between the highest (1989, 88.7%) and lowest (1987, 71.0%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Honda XL250 reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #3578 of 5428 models· other Honda models: CBR600F, CBR900RR, CBR1100XX, CB500, C90, VFR800 Fi