Jinlun JL 250-5 vs Honda XR250

The Honda XR250 passes its MOT first time more often than the Jinlun JL 250-5: 78.8% vs 70.8%, a 8.0-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Jinlun JL 250-5	Honda XR250
First-time pass rate	70.8%	78.8%
Outright fail rate	17.9%	12.3%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	-17.9 pts	-6.8 pts
Engine size	234cc	249cc
Rank among all models	#4675 of 5428	#3805 of 5428
Median miles at test	4,068	8,618
MOT tests analysed	312	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	Jinlun JL 250-5	Honda XR250
2011	72.7%	74.6%
2012	72.7%	77.6%
2013	70.3%	75.4%
2014	55.9%	77.8%

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	Jinlun JL 250-5	Honda XR250
0k-10k miles	73.6%	79.5%
10k-20k miles	64.1%	78.9%

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

JINLUN JL 250-5 70.8% pass · 312 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.