YAMAHA X-CITY 250

249cc Petrol Class 2

#2909 of 5426 overall #163 of 409 YAMAHAs #1836 of 2787 other bikes

83.2%

first-time pass rate

11.7%

failed outright

9,848

median miles at test

849

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The X-CITY 250's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.6 points since 2011, 84.4% to 78.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the X-CITY 250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage X-CITY 250 passes first time 86.6% of the time; by 20k that's 75.0%.

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 X-CITY 250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	71	38.6	1.3×
tyres and wheels	27	14.7	1.2×
lighting and signalling	22	12	0.4×
tyres	20	10.9	2.8×
lamps and reflectors	12	6.5	0.5×
steering and suspension	10	5.4	0.3×
suspension	8	4.3	1.1×
steering	8	4.3	2.0×
reg plates and vin	3	1.6	0.6×
structure and attachments	3	1.6	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 X-CITY 250 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 X-CITY 250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (85.9% pass). Weakest: 2010 (76.0%).

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 X-CITY 250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA X-CITY 250 reliable?

The YAMAHA X-CITY 250 is about average for its class: 83.2% of its 849 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2909 of 5426 models.

What does a X-CITY 250 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 39% of all defects recorded against failed X-CITY 250 tests.

What is the best year of X-CITY 250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (85.9%) and 2010 worst (76.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a X-CITY 250 last?

The median X-CITY 250 shows 9,848 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 75.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.