HONDA XL250S

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3963 of 5426 overall #750 of 921 HONDAs #2509 of 2787 other bikes

77.6%

first-time pass rate

13.1%

failed outright

13,783

median miles at test

504

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2016

The XL250S's first-time pass rate has risen 20.3 points since 2006, 64.7% to 85.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL250S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XL250S passes first time 74.1% of the time; by 30k that's 81.8%.

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 XL250S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	114	62	2.4×
tyres and wheels	12	6.5	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	12	6.5	0.8×
steering and suspension	11	6	0.6×
drive system	7	3.8	1.4×
brakes	7	3.8	0.3×
reg plates and vin	7	3.8	2.1×
fuel and exhaust	6	3.3	1.6×
audible warning (Horn)	5	2.7	5.4×
Items Not Tested	3	1.6	6.5×

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 XL250S beats 0 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 XL250S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1981 (86.2% pass). Weakest: 1980 (71.3%).

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 XL250S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL250S reliable?

The HONDA XL250S is less reliable than average for its class: 77.6% of its 504 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3963 of 5426 models.

What does a XL250S fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 62% of all defects recorded against failed XL250S tests.

What is the best year of XL250S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1981-registered examples do best (86.2%) and 1980 worst (71.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL250S last?

The median XL250S shows 13,783 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 81.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.