YAMAHA XV 250 S

248cc Petrol Class 2

#3270 of 5426 overall #205 of 409 YAMAHAs #2081 of 2787 other bikes

81.5%

first-time pass rate

11.6%

failed outright

12,217

median miles at test

913

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2019

The XV 250 S's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.5 points since 2006, 79.8% to 73.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XV 250 S passes first time 84.6% of the time; by 20k that's 81.0%.

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 XV 250 S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	47	22.4	1.0×
steering and suspension	38	18.1	1.0×
lighting and signalling	31	14.8	0.6×
tyres and wheels	24	11.4	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	23	11	3.2×
structure and attachments	14	6.7	1.8×
drive system	12	5.7	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	10	4.8	0.6×
reg plates and vin	7	3.3	1.1×
tyres	4	1.9	0.6×

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 XV 250 S beats 2 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 XV 250 S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (86.1% pass). Weakest: 1998 (76.9%).

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 XV 250 S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XV 250 S reliable?

The YAMAHA XV 250 S is less reliable than average for its class: 81.5% of its 913 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3270 of 5426 models.

What does a XV 250 S fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed XV 250 S tests.

What is the best year of XV 250 S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (86.1%) and 1998 worst (76.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XV 250 S last?

The median XV 250 S shows 12,217 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 81.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.