Bultaco Sherpa vs Honda XR250

The Bultaco Sherpa passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda XR250: 84.8% vs 78.8%, a 6.0-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Bultaco Sherpa	Honda XR250
First-time pass rate	84.8%	78.8%
Outright fail rate	5.9%	12.3%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+1.0 pts	-6.8 pts
Engine size	250cc	249cc
Rank among all models	#2543 of 5428	#3805 of 5428
Median miles at test	320	8,618
MOT tests analysed	355	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.

Pass rate by test year

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

Test year	Bultaco Sherpa	Honda XR250
2013	74.3%	75.4%
2014	88.6%	77.8%
2015	79.4%	80.5%

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

BULTACO SHERPA 84.8% pass · 355 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.