Yamaha WR 230-250cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha WR 230-250cc motorcycles pass the MOT 81.69% of the time, measured across 344 tests in the DVSA record. A further 8.14% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Yamaha WR, 230-250cc.

Worse than average: 5.2 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 81.69% 281 of 344
Fixed at the station 8.14% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 4,119 miles
Average age at test 8.12 years old
Engine 249cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Yamaha WR 230-250cc adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with missing - it accounts for 65.7% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check not working and does not conform to the specified requirements, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 84.83% of 3-5 year old examples pass, against 76.67% at 16+ years - a gap of 8.2 points.
  • The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (4.7% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 4,119 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 84.83% 145
6-10 years 81.63% 147
16+ years 76.67% 30

Why the Yamaha WR 230-250cc 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 65.7% 23
2 Not working 62.9% 22
3 Does not conform to the specified requirements 42.9% 15
4 Not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions 14.3% 5
5 Not working on dipped beam 14.3% 5
6 Has excessive play 11.4% 4
7 Is unsuitable 11.4% 4
8 Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls 8.6% 3
9 Has a serious fluid leak 8.6% 3
10 Too high 8.6% 3

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 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 4.7% 16
2 Has a serious fluid leak 4.1% 14
3 Less than 1.0 mm thick 4.1% 14
4 Has excessive play 3.8% 13
5 Worn to excess 3.5% 12
6 Chain guard missing 3.2% 11
7 Sprocket worn to excess 2% 7
8 Excessively stiff or notchy 1.7% 6
9 Significantly and obviously worn 1.7% 6
10 Excessively loose 1.5% 5

Yamaha WR 230-250cc for sale

No Yamaha WR 230-250cc in stock at the moment - 86 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

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

Yamaha WR 230-250cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha WR 230-250cc?+
81.69% of Yamaha WR 230-250cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 344 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha WR 230-250cc?+
Missing, which appears in 65.7% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Yamaha WR 230-250cc get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 76.67%, against 84.83% 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.
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