YAMAHA VP300

264cc Petrol Class 2

#2866 of 5426 overall #161 of 409 YAMAHAs #1809 of 2787 other bikes

83.4%

first-time pass rate

10.0%

failed outright

11,086

median miles at test

808

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2017

The VP300's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.7 points since 2007, 85.2% to 80.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VP300's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VP300 passes first time 89.1% of the time; by 30k that's 64.3%.

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 VP300

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	54	40.9	1.3×
steering and suspension	21	15.9	0.7×
brakes	19	14.4	0.5×
tyres and wheels	17	12.9	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	6	4.5	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	6	4.5	0.3×
suspension	3	2.3	0.3×
reg plates and vin	2	1.5	0.4×
body and structure	2	1.5	0.5×
Items Not Tested	2	1.5	2.7×

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 VP300 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 VP300.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (88.3% pass). Weakest: 2003 (82.6%).

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 VP300 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA VP300 reliable?

The YAMAHA VP300 is about average for its class: 83.4% of its 808 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2866 of 5426 models.

What does a VP300 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 41% of all defects recorded against failed VP300 tests.

What is the best year of VP300 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (88.3%) and 2004 worst (82.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VP300 last?

The median VP300 shows 11,086 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 64.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.