YAMAHA CW50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#4638 of 5426 overall #354 of 409 YAMAHAs #212 of 455 moped bikes

71.2%

first-time pass rate

20.6%

failed outright

7,509

median miles at test

3,788

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2023

The CW50's first-time pass rate has risen 16.7 points since 2005, 65.9% to 82.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CW50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CW50 passes first time 73.5% of the time; by 30k that's 72.7%.

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 CW50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	781	36.4	3.0×
steering and suspension	631	29.4	3.5×
brakes	304	14.2	1.3×
tyres and wheels	157	7.3	1.8×
fuel and exhaust	124	5.8	3.7×
lamps and reflectors	43	2	0.4×
suspension	28	1.3	0.7×
body and structure	28	1.3	1.4×
reg plates and vin	27	1.3	1.1×
Items Not Tested	21	1	5.2×

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 CW50 beats 3 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 CW50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1991 (79.0% pass). Weakest: 2000 (63.6%).

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.

YAMAHA CW50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA CW50 reliable?

The YAMAHA CW50 is less reliable than average for its class: 71.2% of its 3,788 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4638 of 5426 models.

What does a CW50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 36% of all defects recorded against failed CW50 tests.

What is the best year of CW50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1991-registered examples do best (79.0%) and 2000 worst (63.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CW50 last?

The median CW50 shows 7,509 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 72.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.