Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2003 Honda Szx50s 1?

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 2003 Honda Szx50s 1?

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 2003 Honda Szx50s 1?

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 2003 Honda Szx50s 1 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 135 vehicles, the 2003 Honda Szx50s 1 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 83.6%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2003 Honda Szx50s 1?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2003 Honda Szx50s 1 are: Front Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (33.7% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (31.7% of vehicles), Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (31.2% 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 2003 Honda Szx50s 1?

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 Szx50s 1 (2003)

135 real MOT outcomes analysed • 83.6% first-time pass rate

2003 Honda Szx50s 1

CarHunch analysed 135 real MOT records for the 2003 Honda Szx50s 1. 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 2003 Honda SZX50S-1 is a genuinely unreliable proposition by modern standards, with a first-time pass rate of just 55.2% against the UK average of 80%—meaning four out of ten of these bikes will fail their MOT. Dangerous defects have appeared in 10.4% of the cohort tested, which is manageable, but the real issue is systemic: these are old, hard-used machines that accumulate faults rather than isolated problems.

The median mileage of 9,065 miles is quite low for a 21-year-old scooter, suggesting surviving examples are either garage-kept or simply don't rack up the miles, yet they still average 0.94 failures and 2.7 advisories per test—a sign that age and neglect matter more than use here. If you're serious about one, budget for immediate repairs before purchase and factor in regular maintenance; this isn't a project bike, it's a gamble.

We have limited data for the 2003 Honda Szx50s 1 — 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

83.6%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

10.4%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.94

Over 4.9 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

Middle half: 6k–12k

For context

These stats describe 135 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.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 135 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 33.7%

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

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

Tyre wear 31.7%

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit

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

Suspension & steering 26.6%

Offside Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion · Nearside Front shock absorber has light misting of stanchion · Rear shock absorber has inadequate damping effect. · …

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

Lighting 19.1%

Headlamp aim too high

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

Exhaust & emissions 11.1%

Exhaust noisy · Exhaust is leaking and excessively noisey

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2003.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 135 Honda Szx50s 1 cars.

Before you buy a 2003 Honda Szx50s 1

Based on MOT data from 135 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 10.4% 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 (99%)	134	83.5%	0.95

Mileage Distribution

Most 2003 Honda Szx50s 1 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.

9,065

typical

5,578

low mileage

12,408

high mileage

Half of all 2003 Honda Szx50s 1 vehicles fall between 5,578 and 12,408 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 5,578 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.

✓ 5,578–12,408 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2003 Honda Szx50s 1s sit.

⚠ Over 16,750 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2003 Honda Szx50s 1 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 52% of 2003 Honda Szx50s 1s are still active.

11 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2021 — 52% of the peak remain.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2021.
* 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

4.9

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.94

Avg failures per vehicle

2.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Honda Szx50s 1: All Szx50s 1 years → Which year to buy? →

2002

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Compare with another model

See how the 2003 Honda Szx50s 1 stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?