AJS DD 125 E-5

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4801 of 5426 overall #30 of 45 AJSs #415 of 734 commuter bikes

68.9%

first-time pass rate

21.0%

failed outright

4,252

median miles at test

957

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2022

The DD 125 E-5's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.4 points since 2011, 76.4% to 75.0%.

What fails on a DD 125 E-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	188	29	2.7×
brakes	124	19.1	1.7×
steering and suspension	92	14.2	2.0×
lamps and reflectors	63	9.7	2.1×
tyres and wheels	41	6.3	1.4×
structure and attachments	39	6	3.4×
drive system	38	5.9	4.5×
suspension	32	4.9	3.3×
fuel and exhaust	16	2.5	1.9×
driving controls	15	2.3	6.2×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the DD 125 E-5 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YBR 125, HONDA CG125, HONDA CBF125).

YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests HONDA CG125 72.2% pass · 89.3k tests HONDA CBF125 73.3% pass · 84.4k tests GILERA RUNNER 70.8% pass · 69.9k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the DD 125 E-5.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2011 (75.9% pass). Weakest: 2012 (62.1%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

AJS DD 125 E-5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the AJS DD 125 E-5 reliable?

The AJS DD 125 E-5 is less reliable than average for its class: 68.9% of its 957 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4801 of 5426 models.

What does a DD 125 E-5 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed DD 125 E-5 tests.

What is the best year of DD 125 E-5 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (75.9%) and 2012 worst (62.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.