Yamaha WR250F MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha WR250F motorcycles pass the MOT 83.2% of the time, measured across 256 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.25% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 3.7 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 83.2% 213 of 256

Fixed at the station 6.25% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 5,763 miles

Average age at test 17.24 years old

Engine 249cc MOT class 2

For sale now 1 Yamaha WR250F 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 40.7% of failed tests on this model.
Then check missing and does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has excessive play (4.3% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 5,763 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
11-15 years	86.84%		38
16+ years	82.9%		193

Why the Yamaha WR250F 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	40.7%	11
2	Missing	33.3%	9
3	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	29.6%	8
4	Has a serious fluid leak	18.5%	5
5	Does not conform to the specified requirements	14.8%	4
6	Missing in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	14.8%	4
7	Has excessive play	11.1%	3
8	Not working on main beam	11.1%	3
9	Rough when rotated	11.1%	3
10	Too high	11.1%	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	Has excessive play	4.3%	11
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	3.9%	10
3	Worn to excess	3.9%	10
4	Chain guard missing	3.1%	8
5	Has a serious fluid leak	3.1%	8
6	Has an excessively worn bush	2.3%	6
7	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.3%	6
8	Excessively binding	2%	5
9	Significantly and obviously worn	2%	5
10	Sprocket worn to excess	2%	5

Yamaha WR250F for sale

1 Yamaha WR250F adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 83 Yamaha in total.

Used Yamaha WR250F Used Yamaha All Yamaha Yamaha 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

Yamaha WR250F MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha WR250F?+

83.2% of Yamaha WR250F MOT tests end in a pass, based on 256 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha WR250F?+

Not working, which appears in 40.7% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Yamaha WR250F get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 82.9%, against 86.84% for examples 11-15 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.