YAMAHA SERROW

225cc Petrol Class 2

#2515 of 5426 overall #139 of 409 YAMAHAs #1579 of 2787 other bikes

84.9%

first-time pass rate

6.8%

failed outright

19,770

median miles at test

1,178

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2024

The SERROW's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.8 points since 2006, 85.3% to 77.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SERROW passes first time 89.7% of the time; by 40k that's 81.3%.

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 SERROW

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	49	27.2	0.6×
lighting and signalling	41	22.8	0.6×
steering and suspension	34	18.9	0.7×
tyres and wheels	15	8.3	0.5×
drive system	9	5	0.8×
suspension	9	5	0.9×
reg plates and vin	6	3.3	0.6×
body and structure	6	3.3	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	6	3.3	0.6×
structure and attachments	5	2.8	0.5×

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 SERROW beats 3 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 SERROW.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (94.0% pass). Weakest: 1991 (78.3%).

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 SERROW FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA SERROW reliable?

The YAMAHA SERROW is about average for its class: 84.9% of its 1,178 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2515 of 5426 models.

What does a SERROW fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed SERROW tests.

What is the best year of SERROW to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (94.0%) and 1991 worst (78.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SERROW last?

The median SERROW shows 19,770 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 81.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.