BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ LAMBRETTA/SX150
Model report · 2005–2025

LAMBRETTA SX150

150cc Petrol Class 1
#1049 of 5428 overall #15 of 49 LAMBRETTAs #40 of 412 scooter bikes
89.7%
first-time pass rate
4.8%
failed outright
2,549
median miles at test
3,964
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+7.7pp
vs expected · age & mileage

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.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2021

The SX150's first-time pass rate has risen 7.7 points since 2005, 82.9% to 90.6%.

80%89%98%2005: 82.9% pass (41 tests)2006: 87.7% pass (244 tests)2007: 90.3% pass (237 tests)2008: 87.6% pass (250 tests)2009: 85.3% pass (265 tests)2010: 88.1% pass (270 tests)2011: 90.6% pass (298 tests)2012: 86.0% pass (314 tests)2013: 91.5% pass (328 tests)2014: 90.6% pass (351 tests)2015: 90.7% pass (343 tests)2016: 89.2% pass (343 tests)2017: 92.6% pass (351 tests)2018: 95.2% pass (126 tests)2019: 90.9% pass (66 tests)2020: 93.3% pass (30 tests)2021: 90.6% pass (32 tests)20052021

Pass rate by mileage

how the SX150's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SX150 passes first time 90.3% of the time; by 50k that's 73.5%.

70%83%97%0k: 90.3% pass (2,753 tests)10k: 87.7% pass (570 tests)20k: 88.1% pass (268 tests)30k: 93.1% pass (189 tests)40k: 89.9% pass (69 tests)50k: 73.5% pass (34 tests)0k30k50k

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 SX150

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
142 34.7 0.6×
brakes
102 24.9 0.4×
steering and suspension
83 20.3 0.6×
tyres and wheels
37 9 0.4×
body and structure
12 2.9 0.5×
driving controls
10 2.4 1.1×
reg plates and vin
9 2.2 0.3×
fuel and exhaust
6 1.5 0.2×
lamps and reflectors
5 1.2 0.1×
Items Not Tested
3 0.7 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 SX150 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 SX150.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the SX150

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: 1970 (95.1% pass). Weakest: 1966 (87.7%).

86%91%97%1966: 87.7% pass (494 tests)1967: 89.0% pass (1,574 tests)1968: 89.9% pass (1,186 tests)1969: 91.2% pass (354 tests)1970: 95.1% pass (81 tests)1971: 94.4% pass (54 tests)196619691971

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 SX150 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the LAMBRETTA SX150 reliable?

The LAMBRETTA SX150 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.7% of its 3,964 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #1049 of 5428 models.

What does a SX150 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 35% of all defects recorded against failed SX150 tests.

What is the best year of SX150 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1970-registered examples do best (95.1%) and 1966 worst (87.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SX150 last?

The median SX150 shows 2,549 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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