BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ MOTOR HISPANIA/RX50
Model report · 2005–2025

MOTOR HISPANIA RX50

49cc Petrol Class 1
#5389 of 5428 overall #1 of 5 MOTOR HISPANIAs #438 of 456 moped bikes
51.0%
first-time pass rate
40.1%
failed outright
11,106
median miles at test
716
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-20.9pp
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 · 2006–2014

The RX50's first-time pass rate has fallen 11.4 points since 2006, 62.6% to 51.2%.

34%51%68%2006: 62.6% pass (99 tests)2007: 48.4% pass (91 tests)2008: 50.0% pass (94 tests)2009: 48.1% pass (77 tests)2010: 46.9% pass (64 tests)2011: 47.5% pass (59 tests)2012: 46.5% pass (43 tests)2013: 39.4% pass (33 tests)2014: 51.2% pass (41 tests)20062014

Pass rate by mileage

how the RX50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage RX50 passes first time 54.7% of the time; by 20k that's 46.4%.

45%51%56%0k: 54.7% pass (298 tests)10k: 48.5% pass (309 tests)20k: 46.4% pass (84 tests)0k10k20k

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 RX50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
484 37.8 7.6×
steering and suspension
350 27.3 8.5×
brakes
182 14.2 4.2×
drive system
91 7.1 13.0×
body and structure
52 4.1 12.2×
tyres and wheels
40 3.1 2.4×
fuel and exhaust
33 2.6 4.8×
lamps and reflectors
20 1.6 0.8×
suspension
17 1.3 1.3×
driving controls
12 0.9 6.5×

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 RX50 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests Compare head-to-head →
PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests Compare head-to-head →
PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests Compare head-to-head →
PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 RX50.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the RX50

More MOTOR HISPANIA models

other MOTOR HISPANIA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
MOTOR HISPANIA FURIA 50 46.6% pass · 491 tests
MOTOR HISPANIA MH6V-X FURIA 48.9% pass · 474 tests
MOTOR HISPANIA MH6U-SM 48.8% pass · 389 tests
MOTOR HISPANIA RYZ 50 47.8% pass · 201 tests

See all MOTOR HISPANIA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2003 (60.8% pass). Weakest: 2004 (44.5%).

41%53%64%2001: 51.4% pass (111 tests)2002: 49.7% pass (151 tests)2003: 60.8% pass (158 tests)2004: 44.5% pass (146 tests)2005: 45.1% pass (71 tests)200120032005

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.

MOTOR HISPANIA RX50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MOTOR HISPANIA RX50 reliable?

The MOTOR HISPANIA RX50 is less reliable than average for its class: 51.0% of its 716 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5389 of 5428 models.

What does a RX50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 38% of all defects recorded against failed RX50 tests.

What is the best year of RX50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (60.8%) and 2004 worst (44.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RX50 last?

The median RX50 shows 11,106 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 46.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Motor Hispania RX50 reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.