HONDA CA125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4859 of 5426 overall #894 of 921 HONDAs #445 of 734 commuter bikes

67.9%

first-time pass rate

21.6%

failed outright

14,682

median miles at test

4,506

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The CA125's first-time pass rate has risen 2.7 points since 2005, 72.6% to 75.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CA125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CA125 passes first time 75.3% of the time; by 40k that's 56.9%.

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 CA125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	657	24.2	2.3×
brakes	544	20.1	2.0×
steering and suspension	518	19.1	2.7×
tyres and wheels	283	10.4	2.6×
drive system	266	9.8	6.1×
fuel and exhaust	144	5.3	3.7×
lamps and reflectors	111	4.1	0.9×
reg plates and vin	79	2.9	2.7×
structure and attachments	64	2.4	1.4×
body and structure	46	1.7	1.8×

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 CA125 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 CA125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (70.0% pass). Weakest: 1995 (59.5%).

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.

HONDA CA125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CA125 reliable?

The HONDA CA125 is less reliable than average for its class: 67.9% of its 4,506 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4859 of 5426 models.

What does a CA125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 24% of all defects recorded against failed CA125 tests.

What is the best year of CA125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (70.0%) and 1995 worst (59.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CA125 last?

The median CA125 shows 14,682 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 56.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.