SWM RS vs Yamaha YP250

The SWM RS passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha YP250: 84.6% vs 82.5%, a 2.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	SWM RS	Yamaha YP250
First-time pass rate	84.6%	82.5%
Outright fail rate	7.5%	12.3%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	-5.5 pts	-2.3 pts
Engine size	298cc	249cc
Rank among all models	#2595 of 5428	#3073 of 5428
Median miles at test	2,858	15,613
MOT tests analysed	228	12,433
Most common failure	suspension	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.

Pass rate by test year

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

Test year	SWM RS	Yamaha YP250
2020	83.3%	82.5%
2021	95.6%	84.5%
2022	77.8%	81.9%
2023	82.9%	84.4%

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

SWM RS 84.6% pass · 228 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.