HONDA XR250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3805 of 5426 overall #699 of 921 HONDAs #2415 of 2787 other bikes

78.8%

first-time pass rate

12.3%

failed outright

8,618

median miles at test

9,277

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The XR250's first-time pass rate has risen 3.4 points since 2005, 79.2% to 82.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XR250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XR250 passes first time 79.5% of the time; by 50k that's 83.3%.

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 XR250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,071	33.7	1.5×
steering and suspension	553	17.4	1.4×
brakes	506	15.9	0.9×
tyres and wheels	330	10.4	1.3×
reg plates and vin	243	7.6	3.4×
lamps and reflectors	179	5.6	0.7×
drive system	118	3.7	1.1×
structure and attachments	66	2.1	0.8×
suspension	60	1.9	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	51	1.6	0.7×

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 XR250 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F, HONDA CBF250).

YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 tests YAMAHA RD250 85.8% pass · 7,314 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 XR250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1987 (85.4% pass). Weakest: 1991 (69.4%).

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 XR250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XR250 reliable?

The HONDA XR250 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.8% of its 9,277 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3805 of 5426 models.

What does a XR250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 34% of all defects recorded against failed XR250 tests.

What is the best year of XR250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1987-registered examples do best (85.4%) and 1991 worst (69.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XR250 last?

The median XR250 shows 8,618 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.