KAWASAKI EX250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#3975 of 5426 overall #470 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2519 of 2787 other bikes

77.5%

first-time pass rate

14.5%

failed outright

9,728

median miles at test

3,922

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The EX250's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.3 points since 2011, 85.2% to 79.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the EX250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage EX250 passes first time 85.0% of the time; by 40k that's 73.3%.

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 EX250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	359	27.9	1.5×
lighting and signalling	199	15.5	1.0×
steering and suspension	176	13.7	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	140	10.9	1.5×
suspension	106	8.2	3.2×
tyres and wheels	100	7.8	1.0×
structure and attachments	69	5.4	2.0×
drive system	68	5.3	1.8×
tyres	55	4.3	1.6×
steering	16	1.2	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 EX250 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 EX250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (82.7% pass). Weakest: 1991 (62.0%).

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.

KAWASAKI EX250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI EX250 reliable?

The KAWASAKI EX250 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.5% of its 3,922 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3975 of 5426 models.

What does a EX250 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed EX250 tests.

What is the best year of EX250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (82.7%) and 1991 worst (62.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a EX250 last?

The median EX250 shows 9,728 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 73.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.