HONDA XLR250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3854 of 5426 overall #722 of 921 HONDAs #2443 of 2787 other bikes

78.4%

first-time pass rate

12.4%

failed outright

17,726

median miles at test

912

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2021

The XLR250's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (79.7% → 80.6%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XLR250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XLR250 passes first time 83.0% of the time; by 40k that's 87.5%.

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 XLR250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	81	27.5	1.3×
brakes	68	23.1	1.2×
steering and suspension	50	16.9	1.4×
reg plates and vin	23	7.8	3.3×
tyres and wheels	21	7.1	1.0×
drive system	17	5.8	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	16	5.4	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	7	2.4	0.7×
driving controls	7	2.4	3.3×
structure and attachments	5	1.7	0.8×

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 XLR250 beats 1 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 XLR250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1988 (83.1% pass). Weakest: 1993 (73.3%).

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 XLR250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XLR250 reliable?

The HONDA XLR250 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.4% of its 912 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3854 of 5426 models.

What does a XLR250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 27% of all defects recorded against failed XLR250 tests.

What is the best year of XLR250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1988-registered examples do best (83.1%) and 1993 worst (73.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XLR250 last?

The median XLR250 shows 17,726 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 87.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.