Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2001 Honda Cb250?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2001 Honda Cb250?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2001 Honda Cb250?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2001 Honda Cb250 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 107 vehicles, the 2001 Honda Cb250 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85.7%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2001 Honda Cb250?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2001 Honda Cb250 are: Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (65.8% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (46.8% of vehicles), Drive chain worn but not considered excessive (41.9% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2001 Honda Cb250?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Honda Cb250 (2001)

107 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.7% first-time pass rate

2001 Honda Cb250

CarHunch analysed 107 real MOT records for the 2001 Honda Cb250. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Compare Models

The 2001 Honda CB250 falls slightly below the UK average with a 75.3% first-time pass rate compared to 80% nationally, suggesting these 20-year-old bikes need a bit more attention to get through testing. The good news is that dangerous defects are relatively uncommon at 11.2%, so catastrophic issues are unlikely—though you should still budget for remedial work on most examples.

At just under 18,000 miles median, these CB250s have genuinely low mileage for their age, which is promising for long-term reliability. However, the average bike still racks up 1.53 failures and 5.4 advisories per test, pointing to wear in consumables like brakes, tyres, and lighting rather than engine problems. When you're viewing one, ask the seller for full service history and have an independent mechanic inspect brakes, suspension, and electrical systems—the MOT data suggests these are the weak spots.

We have limited data for the 2001 Honda Cb250 — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

85.7%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

11.2%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.53

Over 11.1 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

18k

Middle half: 11k–29k

For context

These stats describe 107 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 107 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 65.8%

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Other issues 41.9%

Drive chain worn but not considered excessive · Drive chain excessively loose

Lighting 38.3%

Drive chain slightly loose · Headlamp aim too low · Wheel alignment slightly misaligned.

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Brake wear 27.9%

Front Brake disc(s) slightly worn · Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Exhaust & emissions 14.4%

Exhaust is leaking but is not excessively noisey

Suspension & steering 8.1%

Steering headbearing has slight free play

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2001.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 107 Honda Cb250 cars.

Before you buy a 2001 Honda Cb250

Based on MOT data from 107 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 11.2% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (98%)	105	85.4%	1.56

Mileage Distribution

Most 2001 Honda Cb250 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

17,805

typical

10,849

low mileage

29,140

high mileage

Half of all 2001 Honda Cb250 vehicles fall between 10,849 and 29,140 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 10,849 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 10,849–29,140 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2001 Honda Cb250s sit.

⚠ Over 39,339 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2001 Honda Cb250 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 65% of 2001 Honda Cb250s are still active.

34 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 65% of the peak remain.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

11.1

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.53

Avg failures per vehicle

5.4

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Honda Cb250: All Cb250 years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2001 Honda Cb250 stacks up against a rival.

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