Yamaha XT250
Real ownership data from 556 UK XT250 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common XT250 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | dangerous | 11.6% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 6.4% |
| Tyres | fail | 6.4% |
| Other | major | 5.6% |
| Lights and indicators | minor | 5.3% |
| Chain and sprockets | dangerous | 4.8% |
| Wheels | major | 4.5% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 3.9% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is steering and head bearings.
XT250 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 | 14,678 mi | 768 | 78.57% |
| 2018 | 13 | 18,549 mi | 903 | 89.66% |
| 2016 | 9 | 11,970 mi | 376 | 88.24% |
| 2015 | 7 | 8,026 mi | 4,939 | 88.89% |
| 2014 | 8 | 11,230 mi | 612 | 71.43% |
| 2013 | 5 | 20,062 mi | 230 | 86.36% |
| 2012 | 7 | 21,645 mi | 258 | 78.95% |
| 2010 | 15 | 14,515 mi | 220 | 87.5% |
| 2009 | 5 | 7,054 mi | 2,564 | 96.67% |
| 2008 | 14 | 5,950 mi | 732 | 86.81% |
| 2007 | 8 | 16,913 mi | 1,367 | 80.26% |
| 2006 | 8 | 15,777 mi | 3,222 | 92.5% |
| 2005 | 15 | 10,259 mi | 373 | 85.45% |
| 2003 | 7 | 14,809 mi | 166 | 90.91% |
| 1990 | 6 | 21,929 mi | 2,101 | 91.43% |
| 1984 | 6 | 19,042 mi | 155 | 78.57% |
| 1983 | 29 | 17,864 mi | 176 | 77.92% |
| 1982 | 87 | 19,340 mi | 136 | 81.9% |
| 1981 | 144 | 18,026 mi | 126 | 81.66% |
| 1980 | 109 | 18,994 mi | 134 | 77.26% |
XT250 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha XT250?
Across 556 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (11.6% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (6.4% of all recorded faults), tyres (6.4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha XT250?
The median Yamaha XT250 in the UK has covered 17,260 miles, and typically rides about 175 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 9,966 and 24,880 miles.
Is the Yamaha XT250 reliable?
81.71% of Yamaha XT250 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.3 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 556 Yamaha XT250 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.