YAMAHA DT250

246cc Petrol Class 2

#3557 of 5426 overall #234 of 409 YAMAHAs #2263 of 2787 other bikes

80.1%

first-time pass rate

10.9%

failed outright

11,273

median miles at test

806

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The DT250's first-time pass rate has risen 11.9 points since 2006, 70.3% to 82.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DT250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage DT250 passes first time 78.7% of the time; by 20k that's 80.5%.

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 DT250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	105	42	1.6×
steering and suspension	47	18.8	1.5×
tyres and wheels	31	12.4	1.3×
brakes	19	7.6	0.5×
drive system	13	5.2	1.9×
fuel and exhaust	12	4.8	2.0×
body and structure	7	2.8	1.6×
reg plates and vin	6	2.4	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	5	2	0.2×
suspension	5	2	0.7×

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 DT250 beats 2 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 DT250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1981 (86.7% pass). Weakest: 1978 (72.5%).

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.

YAMAHA DT250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA DT250 reliable?

The YAMAHA DT250 is less reliable than average for its class: 80.1% of its 806 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3557 of 5426 models.

What does a DT250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 42% of all defects recorded against failed DT250 tests.

What is the best year of DT250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1981-registered examples do best (86.7%) and 1978 worst (72.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DT250 last?

The median DT250 shows 11,273 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 80.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.