YAMAHA RD250

247cc Petrol Class 2

#2264 of 5426 overall #111 of 409 YAMAHAs #1406 of 2787 other bikes

85.8%

first-time pass rate

6.5%

failed outright

22,069

median miles at test

7,314

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The RD250's first-time pass rate has risen 16.2 points since 2005, 81.3% to 97.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the RD250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage RD250 passes first time 88.6% of the time; by 50k that's 83.5%.

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 RD250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	410	37.7	0.8×
brakes	242	22.3	0.6×
steering and suspension	174	16	0.6×
tyres and wheels	88	8.1	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	56	5.2	0.3×
drive system	33	3	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	27	2.5	0.4×
body and structure	26	2.4	0.7×
driving controls	16	1.5	0.9×
structure and attachments	15	1.4	0.3×

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 RD250 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 RD250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1971 (89.2% pass). Weakest: 1974 (81.3%).

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 RD250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA RD250 reliable?

The YAMAHA RD250 is about average for its class: 85.8% of its 7,314 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2264 of 5426 models.

What does a RD250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 38% of all defects recorded against failed RD250 tests.

What is the best year of RD250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1971-registered examples do best (89.2%) and 1974 worst (81.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RD250 last?

The median RD250 shows 22,069 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.