MZ ETZ301

291cc Petrol Class 2

#2720 of 5426 overall #11 of 20 MZs #1716 of 2787 other bikes

84.1%

first-time pass rate

8.0%

failed outright

31,240

median miles at test

675

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2015

The ETZ301's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.0 points since 2006, 89.7% to 86.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ETZ301's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ETZ301 passes first time 88.2% of the time; by 50k that's 79.3%.

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 ETZ301

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	46	46	1.2×
brakes	17	17	0.6×
tyres and wheels	12	12	0.8×
steering and suspension	10	10	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	5	5	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	4	4	0.8×
driving controls	2	2	1.3×
sidecar	2	2	—
Items Not Tested	1	1	1.6×
drive system	1	1	0.2×

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 ETZ301 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA RD350, YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F).

YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 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 ETZ301.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1993 (86.6% pass). Weakest: 1994 (82.5%).

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.

MZ ETZ301 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MZ ETZ301 reliable?

The MZ ETZ301 is about average for its class: 84.1% of its 675 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2720 of 5426 models.

What does a ETZ301 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 46% of all defects recorded against failed ETZ301 tests.

What is the best year of ETZ301 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (86.6%) and 1994 worst (82.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ETZ301 last?

The median ETZ301 shows 31,240 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.