Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 vs Honda XR250

The Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda XR250: 87.5% vs 78.8%, a 8.7-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Aprilia Sport City Cube 300	Honda XR250
First-time pass rate	87.5%	78.8%
Outright fail rate	7.8%	12.3%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+0.3 pts	-6.8 pts
Engine size	278cc	249cc
Rank among all models	#1750 of 5428	#3805 of 5428
Median miles at test	8,931	8,618
MOT tests analysed	753	9,277
Most common failure	steering and suspension	lighting and signalling

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	Aprilia Sport City Cube 300	Honda XR250
Lights & signalling	3.1%	7.1%
Steering & suspension	3.1%	4.8%
Brakes	0.9%	3.8%
Tyres & wheels	1.5%	3.0%
Structure & body	0.9%	0.8%
Drive system	0%	0.8%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.5%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Aprilia Sport City Cube 300	Honda XR250
2018	88.4%	83.3%
2019	82.1%	78.0%
2020	88.4%	83.3%
2021	93.3%	81.7%
2022	92.7%	83.7%
2023	84.2%	84.3%
2024	90.3%	84.1%
2025	75.8%	82.6%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Aprilia Sport City Cube 300	Honda XR250
0k-10k miles	91.0%	79.5%
10k-20k miles	82.2%	78.9%
20k-30k miles	86.8%	78.3%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 vs Honda XR250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 or the Honda XR250?

The Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda XR250: 87.5% vs 78.8%, a 8.7-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 still comes out ahead: +0.3 points vs comparable bikes for the Aprilia Sport City Cube 300, -6.8 for the Honda XR250. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.1% of Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (3.1%).

What does the Honda XR250 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 7.1% of Honda XR250 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (4.8%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 or the Honda XR250?

At 20k-30k miles the Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 passes first time more often: 86.8% for the Aprilia Sport City Cube 300 vs 78.3% for the Honda XR250.

APRILIA SPORT CITY CUBE 300 87.5% pass · 753 tests HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.