YAMAHA SR250

240cc Petrol Class 2

#3950 of 5426 overall #280 of 409 YAMAHAs #2502 of 2787 other bikes

77.7%

first-time pass rate

13.2%

failed outright

23,413

median miles at test

3,153

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SR250's first-time pass rate has risen 10.7 points since 2005, 76.3% to 87.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SR250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage SR250 passes first time 79.4% of the time; by 50k that's 76.9%.

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 SR250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	277	26.1	1.9×
lighting and signalling	263	24.8	1.4×
brakes	126	11.9	0.7×
drive system	101	9.5	3.3×
tyres and wheels	80	7.5	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	71	6.7	2.6×
lamps and reflectors	46	4.3	0.6×
reg plates and vin	36	3.4	1.5×
body and structure	33	3.1	1.8×
structure and attachments	27	2.5	0.9×

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 SR250 beats 0 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 SR250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1993 (85.5% pass). Weakest: 1983 (71.1%).

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 SR250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA SR250 reliable?

The YAMAHA SR250 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.7% of its 3,153 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3950 of 5426 models.

What does a SR250 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 26% of all defects recorded against failed SR250 tests.

What is the best year of SR250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (85.5%) and 1983 worst (71.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SR250 last?

The median SR250 shows 23,413 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.