Honda Xl250s MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 366 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 21.3%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Xl250s MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Xl250s is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 366 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.7% and a failure rate of 21.3%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Xl250s earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Xl250s presents for MOT with approximately 13,994 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 1981 models achieve the highest pass rate at 86.8%, while 1979 models have the lowest at 73.0%. This 13.8 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Xl250s is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 21.6% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle steering and suspension at 7.4%. Motorcycle drive system rounds out the top three at 4.6%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 28.4% | 104 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 8.5% | 31 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Drive System | 5.5% | 20 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 4.1% | 15 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 4.1% | 15 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 2.7% | 10 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Brakes | 1.9% | 7 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 1.6% | 6 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 1.1% | 4 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.8% | 3 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 0.5% | 2 |
| 12 | Items Not Tested | 0.3% | 1 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Suspension | 0.3% | 1 |
| 14 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.3% | 1 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Tyres | 0.3% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 13,994 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 20.31 | 28.4% | 104 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 6.05 | 8.5% | 31 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 3.90 | 5.5% | 20 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 2.93 | 4.1% | 15 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 2.93 | 4.1% | 15 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 1.95 | 2.7% | 10 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 1.37 | 1.9% | 7 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 1.17 | 1.6% | 6 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.78 | 1.1% | 4 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.59 | 0.8% | 3 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.39 | 0.5% | 2 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.20 | 0.3% | 1 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.20 | 0.3% | 1 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.20 | 0.3% | 1 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.20 | 0.3% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Xl250s has 13,994 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Honda Xl250s has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 15.22% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Xl250s MOT Data
The Honda Xl250s is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 366 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.7% and a failure rate of 21.3%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Xl250s owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle steering and suspension for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Xl250s is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 21.6% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 21.6% of MOT failures on the Honda Xl250s. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Motorcycle steering and suspension — 7.4% of failures
Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 7.4% of MOT failures on the Honda Xl250s. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Motorcycle drive system — 4.6% of failures
Motorcycle drive system issues account for 4.6% of MOT failures on the Honda Xl250s. Motorcycle drive system issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Xl250s?
Based on 366 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Xl250s has an overall pass rate of 78.7% (21.3% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Xl250s?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Xl250s fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (21.6%), 2. Motorcycle steering and suspension (7.4%), 3. Motorcycle drive system (4.6%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Xl250s reliable?
With a 21.3% MOT failure rate, the Xl250s is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Xl250s?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (21.6%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (7.4%); Motorcycle drive system (4.6%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.