Honda XR250 MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda XR250 motorcycles pass the MOT 83.09% of the time, measured across 272 tests in the DVSA record. A further 9.93% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 3.8 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 83.09% 226 of 272

Fixed at the station 9.93% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 11,290 miles

Average age at test 26.32 years old

Engine 249cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Honda XR250 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 42.1% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and not working, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has excessive play (8.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 11,290 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
16+ years	82.9%		269

Why the Honda XR250 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	Missing	42.1%	8
2	Does not conform to the specified requirements	31.6%	6
3	Not working	31.6%	6
4	Too high	26.3%	5
5	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	15.8%	3
6	Insecure	15.8%	3
7	Not working on main beam	15.8%	3
8	Contaminated	10.5%	2
9	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	10.5%	2
10	Has a serious fluid leak	10.5%	2

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 excessive play	8.8%	24
2	Chain guard missing	4%	11
3	Has a serious fluid leak	4%	11
4	Worn to excess	3.7%	10
5	Significantly and obviously worn	2.6%	7
6	Component pin or bush excessively worn	1.8%	5
7	Excessively distorted	1.8%	5
8	Excessively loose	1.8%	5
9	Has an excessively worn bush	1.8%	5
10	Less than 1.0 mm thick	1.8%	5

Honda XR250 for sale

No Honda XR250 in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda XR250 Used Honda All Honda Honda MOT statistics

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Piaggio VESPA GTS · 240-300cc	4,305	92.15%	9,875
Honda CRF 220-250cc · 220-250cc	2,452	89.76%	7,549
Honda NSS 250-297cc · 250-297cc	1,397	90.34%	17,407
Honda CRF 300 LA-M · 286cc	1,297	88.43%	3,963
BMW G310 · 313cc	1,129	90.79%	7,243
Piaggio VESPA GTS 300 SUPER · 277cc	914	93.76%	12,292

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

Honda XR250 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda XR250?+

83.09% of Honda XR250 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 272 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda XR250?+

Missing, which appears in 42.1% of failed tests on this model.

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.