Herald Motor Company Classic vs Yamaha YP250

The Yamaha YP250 passes its MOT first time more often than the Herald Motor Company Classic: 82.5% vs 79.6%, a 2.9-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Herald Motor Company Classic	Yamaha YP250
First-time pass rate	79.6%	82.5%
Outright fail rate	10.0%	12.3%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	-8.9 pts	-2.3 pts
Engine size	249cc	249cc
Rank among all models	#3668 of 5428	#3073 of 5428
Median miles at test	3,584	15,613
MOT tests analysed	1,285	12,433
Most common failure	lamps and reflectors	brakes

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	Herald Motor Company Classic	Yamaha YP250
Lights & signalling	5.8%	2.5%
Brakes	2.9%	5.3%
Steering & suspension	2.3%	5.0%
Tyres & wheels	1.1%	3.8%
Structure & body	2.6%	0.5%
Fuel & exhaust	0%	0.8%

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	Herald Motor Company Classic	Yamaha YP250
2018	84.1%	82.9%
2019	80.3%	84.2%
2020	73.8%	82.5%
2021	78.6%	84.5%
2022	78.8%	81.9%
2023	83.9%	84.4%
2024	78.6%	84.4%
2025	83.7%	85.9%

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	Herald Motor Company Classic	Yamaha YP250
0k-10k miles	80.1%	88.6%
10k-20k miles	73.0%	82.5%

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

Herald Motor Company Classic vs Yamaha YP250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Herald Motor Company Classic or the Yamaha YP250?

The Yamaha YP250 passes its MOT first time more often than the Herald Motor Company Classic: 82.5% vs 79.6%, a 2.9-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Yamaha YP250 still comes out ahead: -8.9 points vs comparable bikes for the Herald Motor Company Classic, -2.3 for the Yamaha YP250. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Herald Motor Company Classic fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 5.8% of Herald Motor Company Classic MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (2.9%).

What does the Yamaha YP250 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 5.3% of Yamaha YP250 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (5.0%).

HERALD MOTOR COMPANY CLASSIC 79.6% pass · 1,285 tests YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests

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