Royal Enfield Continental GT vs Yamaha YP250

The Royal Enfield Continental GT passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha YP250: 89.9% vs 82.5%, a 7.4-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Royal Enfield Continental GT	Yamaha YP250
First-time pass rate	89.9%	82.5%
Outright fail rate	3.8%	12.3%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+2.0 pts	-2.3 pts
Engine size	250cc	249cc
Rank among all models	#988 of 5428	#3073 of 5428
Median miles at test	3,820	15,613
MOT tests analysed	557	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	Royal Enfield Continental GT	Yamaha YP250
Brakes	0.4%	5.3%
Steering & suspension	0.7%	5.0%
Tyres & wheels	0.5%	3.8%
Lights & signalling	1.6%	2.5%
Structure & body	0.9%	0.5%
Fuel & exhaust	0.2%	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	Royal Enfield Continental GT	Yamaha YP250
2006	86.7%	86.7%
2016	86.7%	79.8%
2017	90.6%	81.6%

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	Royal Enfield Continental GT	Yamaha YP250
0k-10k miles	90.9%	88.6%
10k-20k miles	86.4%	82.5%

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

Royal Enfield Continental GT vs Yamaha YP250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Royal Enfield Continental GT or the Yamaha YP250?

The Royal Enfield Continental GT passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha YP250: 89.9% vs 82.5%, a 7.4-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Royal Enfield Continental GT still comes out ahead: +2.0 points vs comparable bikes for the Royal Enfield Continental GT, -2.3 for the Yamaha YP250. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Royal Enfield Continental GT fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 1.6% of Royal Enfield Continental GT MOT tests failed on it, then structure & body (0.9%).

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%).

ROYAL ENFIELD CONTINENTAL GT 89.9% pass · 557 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.