YAMAHA XS250

248cc Petrol Class 2

#3997 of 5426 overall #287 of 409 YAMAHAs #2531 of 2787 other bikes

77.4%

first-time pass rate

13.1%

failed outright

19,515

median miles at test

1,783

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2021

The XS250's first-time pass rate has risen 13.8 points since 2005, 72.9% to 86.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XS250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XS250 passes first time 82.6% of the time; by 40k that's 70.0%.

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 XS250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	179	26.1	1.4×
brakes	154	22.5	1.4×
steering and suspension	110	16.1	1.6×
tyres and wheels	63	9.2	1.5×
fuel and exhaust	54	7.9	2.9×
drive system	45	6.6	2.6×
body and structure	29	4.2	2.9×
lamps and reflectors	22	3.2	0.4×
reg plates and vin	15	2.2	1.4×
driving controls	14	2	3.1×

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 XS250 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 XS250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1982 (81.2% pass). Weakest: 1981 (73.5%).

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 XS250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XS250 reliable?

The YAMAHA XS250 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.4% of its 1,783 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3997 of 5426 models.

What does a XS250 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 26% of all defects recorded against failed XS250 tests.

What is the best year of XS250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1982-registered examples do best (81.2%) and 1981 worst (73.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XS250 last?

The median XS250 shows 19,515 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 70.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.