BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ YAMAHA/DT250
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

YAMAHA DT250

246cc Petrol Class 2
#3557 of 5428 overall #234 of 409 YAMAHAs #2264 of 2788 other bikes
80.1%
first-time pass rate
10.9%
failed outright
11,273
median miles at test
806
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-5.1pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

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%.

63%78%93%2006: 70.3% pass (64 tests)2007: 81.4% pass (43 tests)2008: 80.0% pass (50 tests)2009: 68.0% pass (50 tests)2010: 76.6% pass (47 tests)2011: 87.8% pass (49 tests)2012: 76.0% pass (50 tests)2013: 84.1% pass (63 tests)2014: 80.4% pass (56 tests)2015: 77.3% pass (66 tests)2016: 85.7% pass (70 tests)2017: 82.1% pass (67 tests)2018: 82.2% pass (45 tests)20062018

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%.

78%80%82%0k: 78.7% pass (356 tests)10k: 81.3% pass (299 tests)20k: 80.5% pass (118 tests)0k10k20k

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 Share of defects 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 Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 tests Compare head-to-head →

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.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the DT250

More YAMAHA models

other YAMAHA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
YAMAHA YZF-R1 84.1% pass · 232k tests
YAMAHA YZF-R6 79.0% pass · 155k tests
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests
YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests
YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k tests
YAMAHA FZ6 85.2% pass · 67.1k tests

See all YAMAHA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 1981 (86.7%). Lowest: 1978 (72.5%). Every DT250 year compared →

70%80%90%1976: 84.6% pass (78 tests)1977: 77.4% pass (115 tests)1978: 72.5% pass (91 tests)1979: 84.3% pass (134 tests)1980: 82.0% pass (89 tests)1981: 86.7% pass (128 tests)197619791981

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 5428 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, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

Embed this bike

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