KAWASAKI KH250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#1818 of 5426 overall #213 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1101 of 2787 other bikes

87.3%

first-time pass rate

5.0%

failed outright

17,710

median miles at test

1,925

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2020

The KH250's first-time pass rate has risen 1.1 points since 2006, 86.0% to 87.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the KH250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage KH250 passes first time 91.6% of the time; by 30k that's 86.4%.

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 KH250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	60	25.3	0.5×
steering and suspension	58	24.5	0.7×
brakes	44	18.6	0.4×
tyres and wheels	29	12.2	0.5×
body and structure	16	6.8	1.2×
drive system	12	5.1	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	6	2.5	0.4×
reg plates and vin	4	1.7	0.4×
driving controls	4	1.7	0.9×
Items Not Tested	4	1.7	1.7×

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 KH250 beats 4 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 KH250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1975 (89.2% pass). Weakest: 1979 (83.7%).

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 KH250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI KH250 reliable?

The KAWASAKI KH250 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.3% of its 1,925 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1818 of 5426 models.

What does a KH250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 25% of all defects recorded against failed KH250 tests.

What is the best year of KH250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1975-registered examples do best (89.2%) and 1979 worst (83.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a KH250 last?

The median KH250 shows 17,710 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 86.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.