YAMAHA XV250

248cc Petrol Class 2

#3130 of 5426 overall #193 of 409 YAMAHAs #1991 of 2787 other bikes

82.3%

first-time pass rate

10.3%

failed outright

12,046

median miles at test

4,389

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XV250's first-time pass rate has risen 14.9 points since 2005, 72.4% to 87.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XV250's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage XV250 passes first time 87.7% of the time; by 40k that's 69.2%.

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 XV250

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	183	19.2	0.8×
lighting and signalling	175	18.4	0.7×
steering and suspension	166	17.4	1.0×
tyres and wheels	138	14.5	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	85	8.9	2.3×
drive system	81	8.5	1.9×
structure and attachments	35	3.7	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	34	3.6	0.4×
suspension	32	3.4	0.9×
reg plates and vin	24	2.5	0.8×

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 XV250 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 XV250.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (85.8% pass). Weakest: 1995 (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 XV250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XV250 reliable?

The YAMAHA XV250 is less reliable than average for its class: 82.3% of its 4,389 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3130 of 5426 models.

What does a XV250 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 19% of all defects recorded against failed XV250 tests.

What is the best year of XV250 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (85.8%) and 1995 worst (76.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XV250 last?

The median XV250 shows 12,046 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 69.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.