KAWASAKI EL250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3854 of 5426 overall #457 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2443 of 2787 other bikes

78.4%

first-time pass rate

12.2%

failed outright

15,650

median miles at test

1,591

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2022

The EL250's first-time pass rate has risen 1.6 points since 2005, 79.4% to 81.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the EL250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage EL250 passes first time 85.5% of the time; by 40k that's 70.3%.

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 EL250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	102	22.6	1.4×
brakes	97	21.5	1.1×
lighting and signalling	78	17.3	0.9×
tyres and wheels	48	10.6	1.4×
drive system	34	7.5	2.4×
fuel and exhaust	28	6.2	1.9×
structure and attachments	19	4.2	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	19	4.2	0.6×
reg plates and vin	16	3.5	1.4×
driving controls	11	2.4	2.9×

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 EL250 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 EL250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (83.3% pass). Weakest: 1996 (75.8%).

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.

KAWASAKI EL250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI EL250 reliable?

The KAWASAKI EL250 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.4% of its 1,591 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3854 of 5426 models.

What does a EL250 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 23% of all defects recorded against failed EL250 tests.

What is the best year of EL250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (83.3%) and 1996 worst (75.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a EL250 last?

The median EL250 shows 15,650 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 70.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.