YAMAHA XT225

225cc Petrol Class 2

#2331 of 5426 overall #121 of 409 YAMAHAs #1460 of 2787 other bikes

85.6%

first-time pass rate

6.9%

failed outright

17,297

median miles at test

2,570

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XT225's first-time pass rate has risen 3.7 points since 2005, 84.8% to 88.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XT225's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XT225 passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 50k that's 73.5%.

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 XT225

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	103	26.3	0.9×
lighting and signalling	74	18.9	0.5×
brakes	63	16.1	0.5×
tyres and wheels	46	11.8	0.7×
reg plates and vin	33	8.4	1.6×
drive system	30	7.7	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	22	5.6	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	7	1.8	0.3×
suspension	7	1.8	0.3×
body and structure	6	1.5	0.3×

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 XT225 beats 4 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 XT225.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1987 (93.4% pass). Weakest: 1989 (79.0%).

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 XT225 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XT225 reliable?

The YAMAHA XT225 is about average for its class: 85.6% of its 2,570 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2331 of 5426 models.

What does a XT225 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 26% of all defects recorded against failed XT225 tests.

What is the best year of XT225 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1987-registered examples do best (93.4%) and 1989 worst (79.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XT225 last?

The median XT225 shows 17,297 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.