BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ LAMBRETTA/LI150S
Model report · 2005–2025

LAMBRETTA LI150S

150cc Petrol Class 1
#1370 of 5428 overall #22 of 49 LAMBRETTAs #52 of 412 scooter bikes
88.7%
first-time pass rate
3.7%
failed outright
3,053
median miles at test
520
MOT tests, 2005–2025

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2017

The LI150S's first-time pass rate has risen 11.5 points since 2008, 83.3% to 94.8%.

80%90%100%2008: 83.3% pass (30 tests)2009: 83.3% pass (30 tests)2010: 96.9% pass (32 tests)2011: 87.5% pass (32 tests)2012: 85.3% pass (34 tests)2013: 91.9% pass (37 tests)2014: 83.7% pass (43 tests)2015: 85.4% pass (48 tests)2016: 86.4% pass (59 tests)2017: 94.8% pass (58 tests)20082017

Pass rate by mileage

how the LI150S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage LI150S passes first time 89.0% of the time; by 30k that's 83.1%.

79%89%99%0k: 89.0% pass (337 tests)10k: 82.1% pass (39 tests)20k: 96.0% pass (50 tests)30k: 83.1% pass (59 tests)0k20k30k

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 LI150S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
13 32.5 0.4×
lighting and signalling
11 27.5 0.4×
steering and suspension
6 15 0.2×
tyres and wheels
5 12.5 0.4×
reg plates and vin
2 5 0.3×
body and structure
2 5 0.4×
tyres
1 2.5 0.3×

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 LI150S beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PIAGGIO VESPA, HONDA PCX 125, HONDA Vision 110).

PIAGGIO VESPA 80.7% pass · 287k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA PCX 125 81.1% pass · 88.6k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA Vision 110 78.1% pass · 50.9k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA NMAX 125 82.2% pass · 33.8k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 LI150S.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the LI150S

More LAMBRETTA models

other LAMBRETTA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
LAMBRETTA LI125 87.4% pass · 21.3k tests
LAMBRETTA GP200 87.8% pass · 19.9k tests
LAMBRETTA LI150 88.8% pass · 19.3k tests
LAMBRETTA GP150 87.6% pass · 12.1k tests
LAMBRETTA GP125 86.7% pass · 11.7k tests
LAMBRETTA LI 87.7% pass · 8,752 tests

See all LAMBRETTA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1964 (91.6% pass). Weakest: 1963 (84.9%).

84%88%93%1963: 84.9% pass (93 tests)1964: 91.6% pass (226 tests)1965: 86.5% pass (111 tests)1966: 89.1% pass (55 tests)196319651966

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.

LAMBRETTA LI150S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the LAMBRETTA LI150S reliable?

The LAMBRETTA LI150S is more reliable than average for its class: 88.7% of its 520 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #1370 of 5428 models.

What does a LI150S fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed LI150S tests.

What is the best year of LI150S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1964-registered examples do best (91.6%) and 1963 worst (84.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a LI150S last?

The median LI150S shows 3,053 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 83.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Lambretta LI150S reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.