KTM 250 MOT pass rate and common failures

KTM 250 motorcycles pass the MOT 80.81% of the time, measured across 469 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.61% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 6.1 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 80.81% 379 of 469

Fixed at the station 6.61% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 3,440 miles

Average age at test 10.97 years old

Engine 248cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 KTM 250 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with not working - it accounts for 44.1% of failed tests on this model.
Then check missing and does not conform to the specified requirements, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has excessive play (11.3% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 3,440 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	82.85%	274
11-15 years	76.6%	141
16+ years	81.58%	38

Why the KTM 250 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	Not working	44.1%	26
2	Missing	39%	23
3	Does not conform to the specified requirements	27.1%	16
4	Has excessive play	20.3%	12
5	Not working on dipped beam	11.9%	7
6	Is unsuitable	8.5%	5
7	Not working on main beam	8.5%	5
8	Remains on when the brakes are released	8.5%	5
9	Has a serious fluid leak	6.8%	4
10	Rough when rotated	6.8%	4

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	11.3%	53
2	Worn to excess	3.6%	17
3	Has a serious fluid leak	3.4%	16
4	Sprocket worn to excess	3.4%	16
5	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.8%	13
6	Excessively distorted	2.3%	11
7	Excessively loose	2.3%	11
8	Has an excessively worn bush	2.3%	11
9	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	2.1%	10
10	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	1.7%	8

KTM 250 for sale

No KTM 250 in stock at the moment - 296 other KTM bikes are advertised.

Used KTM 250 Used KTM All KTM KTM 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

KTM 250 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the KTM 250?+

80.81% of KTM 250 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 469 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a KTM 250?+

Not working, which appears in 44.1% of failed tests on this model.

Does the KTM 250 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 81.58%, against 82.85% 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.