SUZUKI DL 250 AL8

248cc Petrol Class 2

#142 of 5426 overall #16 of 680 SUZUKIs #93 of 2787 other bikes

94.2%

first-time pass rate

3.1%

failed outright

5,243

median miles at test

1,203

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2021–2025

The DL 250 AL8's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.2 points since 2021, 96.3% to 91.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DL 250 AL8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage DL 250 AL8 passes first time 96.2% of the time; by 20k that's 83.8%.

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 DL 250 AL8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	24	40.7	0.4×
structure and attachments	12	20.3	1.1×
tyres	10	16.9	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	6	10.2	0.3×
suspension	5	8.5	0.5×
steering	2	3.4	0.4×

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 DL 250 AL8 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F, HONDA XR250).

YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 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 DL 250 AL8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (97.8% pass). Weakest: 2018 (93.2%).

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.

SUZUKI DL 250 AL8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the SUZUKI DL 250 AL8 reliable?

The SUZUKI DL 250 AL8 is more reliable than average for its class: 94.2% of its 1,203 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #142 of 5426 models.

What does a DL 250 AL8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 41% of all defects recorded against failed DL 250 AL8 tests.

What is the best year of DL 250 AL8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2020-registered examples do best (97.8%) and 2018 worst (93.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DL 250 AL8 last?

The median DL 250 AL8 shows 5,243 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 83.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.