DAELIM VL 125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4758 of 5426 overall #7 of 14 DAELIMs #389 of 734 commuter bikes

69.7%

first-time pass rate

19.9%

failed outright

7,788

median miles at test

548

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2016–2023

The VL 125's first-time pass rate has risen 1.4 points since 2016, 73.6% to 75.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VL 125 passes first time 74.2% of the time; by 20k that's 57.5%.

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 VL 125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	72	23.2	2.3×
brakes	71	22.8	2.2×
steering and suspension	38	12.2	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	36	11.6	2.0×
drive system	33	10.6	6.3×
structure and attachments	16	5.1	3.2×
fuel and exhaust	14	4.5	2.6×
tyres and wheels	13	4.2	1.1×
suspension	10	3.2	2.0×
tyres	8	2.6	1.1×

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 VL 125 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 VL 125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (83.6% pass). Weakest: 2003 (54.8%).

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.

DAELIM VL 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the DAELIM VL 125 reliable?

The DAELIM VL 125 is less reliable than average for its class: 69.7% of its 548 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4758 of 5426 models.

What does a VL 125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 23% of all defects recorded against failed VL 125 tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2017-registered examples do best (83.6%) and 2003 worst (54.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VL 125 last?

The median VL 125 shows 7,788 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 57.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.