PIAGGIO VESPA S 50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#3399 of 5426 overall #62 of 136 PIAGGIOs #67 of 455 moped bikes

80.9%

first-time pass rate

13.3%

failed outright

7,872

median miles at test

1,917

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The VESPA S 50's first-time pass rate has risen 11.2 points since 2011, 75.6% to 86.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VESPA S 50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage VESPA S 50 passes first time 83.8% of the time; by 30k that's 73.9%.

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 VESPA S 50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	92	19.4	0.9×
lighting and signalling	90	19	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	89	18.8	1.8×
steering and suspension	50	10.5	0.7×
tyres and wheels	41	8.6	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	31	6.5	1.9×
structure and attachments	26	5.5	1.6×
suspension	23	4.9	1.3×
tyres	20	4.2	1.3×
body and structure	12	2.5	1.3×

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 VESPA S 50 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 VESPA S 50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (85.5% pass). Weakest: 2007 (68.8%).

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.

PIAGGIO VESPA S 50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the PIAGGIO VESPA S 50 reliable?

The PIAGGIO VESPA S 50 is more reliable than average for its class: 80.9% of its 1,917 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3399 of 5426 models.

What does a VESPA S 50 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 19% of all defects recorded against failed VESPA S 50 tests.

What is the best year of VESPA S 50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (85.5%) and 2007 worst (68.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VESPA S 50 last?

The median VESPA S 50 shows 7,872 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 73.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.