BENELLI BN 125

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4589 of 5426 overall #18 of 24 BENELLIs #317 of 734 commuter bikes

71.9%

first-time pass rate

18.8%

failed outright

5,699

median miles at test

1,167

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2021–2025

The BN 125's first-time pass rate has fallen 10.9 points since 2021, 80.9% to 70.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the BN 125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage BN 125 passes first time 75.2% of the time; by 20k that's 48.4%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a BN 125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	168	28.4	6.6×
brakes	147	24.8	1.9×
structure and attachments	125	21.1	10.3×
suspension	66	11.1	6.6×
steering	43	7.3	8.2×
tyres	32	5.4	3.4×
audible warning (Horn)	6	1	2.8×
Identification of the vehicle	3	0.5	1.1×
wheels	2	0.3	2.9×

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 BN 125 beats 2 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 BN 125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2018 (76.3% pass). Weakest: 2021 (69.6%).

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.

BENELLI BN 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the BENELLI BN 125 reliable?

The BENELLI BN 125 is about average for its class: 71.9% of its 1,167 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4589 of 5426 models.

What does a BN 125 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 28% of all defects recorded against failed BN 125 tests.

What is the best year of BN 125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2018-registered examples do best (76.3%) and 2021 worst (69.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BN 125 last?

The median BN 125 shows 5,699 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 48.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.