HONDA XR250R

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3770 of 5426 overall #690 of 921 HONDAs #2396 of 2787 other bikes

79.0%

first-time pass rate

10.0%

failed outright

10,352

median miles at test

518

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The XR250R's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (78.4% → 78.1%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the XR250R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XR250R passes first time 81.5% of the time; by 20k that's 83.1%.

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 XR250R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	28	21.5	1.1×
lighting and signalling	26	20	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	19	14.6	1.0×
brakes	19	14.6	0.5×
reg plates and vin	13	10	3.0×
tyres and wheels	7	5.4	0.5×
suspension	6	4.6	1.3×
drive system	5	3.8	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	4	3.1	0.8×
tyres	3	2.3	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 XR250R 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 XR250R.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1998 (80.0% pass). Weakest: 1999 (75.0%).

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 XR250R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XR250R reliable?

The HONDA XR250R is less reliable than average for its class: 79.0% of its 518 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3770 of 5426 models.

What does a XR250R fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 22% of all defects recorded against failed XR250R tests.

What is the best year of XR250R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1998-registered examples do best (80.0%) and 1999 worst (75.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XR250R last?

The median XR250R shows 10,352 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 83.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.