Honda NSC 49cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda NSC 49cc motorcycles pass the MOT 82.29% of the time, measured across 1,005 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.57% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Honda NSC, 49-50cc.

Worse than average: 4.6 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 82.29% 827 of 1,005

Fixed at the station 6.57% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 12,610 miles

Average age at test 9.57 years old

Engine 49cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Honda NSC 49cc adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

Start with has a serious fluid leak - it accounts for 34.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check less than 1.0 mm thick and not working, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has a serious fluid leak (6.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 12,610 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test	Pass rate		Tests
6-10 years	81.61%		783
11-15 years	84.68%		222

Why the Honda NSC 49cc fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

#	Item	Of failures	Tests
1	Has a serious fluid leak	34.8%	39
2	Less than 1.0 mm thick	19.6%	22
3	Not working	19.6%	22
4	Excessively stiff or notchy	14.3%	16
5	Too low	14.3%	16
6	Contaminated	13.4%	15
7	Has negligible damping effect	10.7%	12
8	Too high	10.7%	12
9	Has insufficient reserve travel	9.8%	11
10	Insecure	9.8%	11

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

#	Item	Of all tests	Tests
1	Has a serious fluid leak	6.4%	64
2	Tread not clearly visible	5.7%	57
3	Excessively stiff or notchy	4.6%	46
4	Less than 1.0 mm thick	4.3%	43
5	Excessively binding	2.8%	28
6	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	2.8%	28
7	Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied	1.9%	19
8	Has excessive wear or free play	1.4%	14
9	Has negligible damping effect	1.4%	14
10	Corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced	1%	10

Honda NSC 49cc for sale

No Honda NSC 49cc in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda NSC 49cc Used Honda All Honda Honda MOT statistics Check a specific bike by plate

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Piaggio VESPA 49cc · 48-50cc	1,852	84.23%	9,941
Piaggio ZIP · 51cc	1,179	76.34%	9,489
Peugeot KISBEE · 54cc	1,096	72.72%	9,978
Peugeot SPEEDFIGHT 49cc · 49-50cc	781	70.17%	11,804
Lexmoto ECHO 50 E4 · 50cc	530	61.51%	6,253
Lexmoto ECHO PLUS 50 LJ 50 QT-6L · 49cc	459	70.15%	5,779

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Honda NSC 49cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda NSC 49cc?+

82.29% of Honda NSC 49cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 1,005 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda NSC 49cc?+

Has a serious fluid leak, which appears in 34.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Honda NSC 49cc get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 84.68%, against 81.61% for examples 6-10 years old.

Where does this data come from?+

From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.

Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+

Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.