Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van vs Honda XR250

The Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda XR250: 95.1% vs 78.8%, a 16.3-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van	Honda XR250
First-time pass rate	95.1%	78.8%
Outright fail rate	1.8%	12.3%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+14.6 pts	-6.8 pts
Engine size	199cc	249cc
Rank among all models	#67 of 5428	#3805 of 5428
Median miles at test	2,694	8,618
MOT tests analysed	1,055	9,277
Most common failure	structure and attachments	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	Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van	Honda XR250
Lights & signalling	0.5%	7.1%
Steering & suspension	0.6%	4.8%
Brakes	0.4%	3.8%
Tyres & wheels	0.2%	3.0%
Structure & body	0.7%	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	Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van	Honda XR250
2019	91.8%	78.0%
2020	95.8%	83.3%
2021	94.7%	81.7%
2022	94.2%	83.7%
2023	96.4%	84.3%
2024	94.4%	84.1%
2025	97.1%	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	Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van	Honda XR250
0k-10k miles	95.5%	79.5%
10k-20k miles	84.7%	78.9%

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

Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van vs Honda XR250 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van or the Honda XR250?

The Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda XR250: 95.1% vs 78.8%, a 16.3-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van still comes out ahead: +14.6 points vs comparable bikes for the Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van, -6.8 for the Honda XR250. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van fail its MOT on most?

Structure & body: 0.7% of Suzuki RV 200 L6 Van Van MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (0.6%).

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%).

SUZUKI RV 200 L6 VAN VAN 95.1% pass · 1,055 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.