Piaggio ZIP MOT pass rate and common failures

Piaggio ZIP motorcycles pass the MOT 76.34% of the time, measured across 1,179 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.46% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 10.5 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 76.34% 900 of 1,179

Fixed at the station 7.46% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 9,489 miles

Average age at test 13.99 years old

Engine 51cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Piaggio ZIP 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 46.6% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working on dipped beam and missing, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread not clearly visible (6.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 9,489 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
3-5 years	78.46%	65
6-10 years	76.88%	359
11-15 years	74.77%	333
16+ years	76.78%	422

Why the Piaggio ZIP 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	46.6%	89
2	Not working on dipped beam	24.1%	46
3	Missing	22%	42
4	Has negligible damping effect	15.7%	30
5	Insecure	14.1%	27
6	Too high	11%	21
7	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	10.5%	20
8	Has insufficient reserve travel	10.5%	20
9	Unable to be tested	10.5%	20
10	Excessively stiff or notchy	9.4%	18

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	Tread not clearly visible	6.4%	76
2	Has negligible damping effect	5.7%	67
3	Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied	4.3%	51
4	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.1%	48
5	Excessively stiff or notchy	3.7%	44
6	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	3.6%	43
7	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.7%	32
8	Has a serious fluid leak	2%	24
9	Excessively binding	2%	23
10	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	1.9%	22

Piaggio ZIP for sale

No Piaggio ZIP in stock at the moment - 7 other Piaggio bikes are advertised.

Used Piaggio ZIP Used Piaggio All Piaggio Piaggio MOT statistics

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
Peugeot KISBEE · 54cc	1,096	72.72%	9,978
Honda NSC 49cc · 49-50cc	1,005	82.29%	12,610
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

Piaggio ZIP MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Piaggio ZIP?+

76.34% of Piaggio ZIP MOT tests end in a pass, based on 1,179 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Piaggio ZIP?+

Not working, which appears in 46.6% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Piaggio ZIP get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 76.78%, against 78.46% for examples 3-5 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.