YAMAHA DT50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#5194 of 5426 overall #402 of 409 YAMAHAs #372 of 455 moped bikes

60.5%

first-time pass rate

27.7%

failed outright

17,837

median miles at test

2,974

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The DT50's first-time pass rate has risen 13.4 points since 2005, 58.3% to 71.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DT50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage DT50 passes first time 61.7% of the time; by 40k that's 56.3%.

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 DT50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,506	42.3	5.0×
steering and suspension	673	18.9	4.6×
brakes	445	12.5	2.2×
drive system	259	7.3	8.6×
tyres and wheels	226	6.3	2.9×
fuel and exhaust	119	3.3	4.8×
body and structure	115	3.2	5.7×
lamps and reflectors	114	3.2	1.3×
reg plates and vin	56	1.6	2.8×
structure and attachments	48	1.3	1.7×

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 DT50 beats 0 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 DT50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1983 (69.8% pass). Weakest: 2003 (49.6%).

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 DT50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA DT50 reliable?

The YAMAHA DT50 is less reliable than average for its class: 60.5% of its 2,974 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5194 of 5426 models.

What does a DT50 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 42% of all defects recorded against failed DT50 tests.

What is the best year of DT50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1983-registered examples do best (69.8%) and 2003 worst (49.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DT50 last?

The median DT50 shows 17,837 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 56.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.