YAMAHA SEROW

225cc Petrol Class 2

#2120 of 5426 overall #96 of 409 YAMAHAs #1301 of 2787 other bikes

86.3%

first-time pass rate

6.4%

failed outright

16,998

median miles at test

3,229

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SEROW's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (90.2% → 90.5%).

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SEROW passes first time 86.2% of the time; by 50k that's 87.5%.

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 SEROW

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	118	24.2	0.8×
lighting and signalling	98	20.1	0.5×
brakes	82	16.8	0.4×
tyres and wheels	53	10.9	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	38	7.8	0.4×
drive system	27	5.5	0.8×
reg plates and vin	21	4.3	1.0×
suspension	20	4.1	0.6×
structure and attachments	15	3.1	0.4×
body and structure	15	3.1	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 SEROW 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 SEROW.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (93.1% pass). Weakest: 1990 (80.3%).

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 SEROW FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA SEROW reliable?

The YAMAHA SEROW is about average for its class: 86.3% of its 3,229 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2120 of 5426 models.

What does a SEROW fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 24% of all defects recorded against failed SEROW tests.

What is the best year of SEROW to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (93.1%) and 1990 worst (80.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SEROW last?

The median SEROW shows 16,998 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 87.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.