HONDA CB 125RS

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4589 of 5426 overall #869 of 921 HONDAs #317 of 734 commuter bikes

71.9%

first-time pass rate

19.0%

failed outright

14,632

median miles at test

915

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The CB 125RS's first-time pass rate has risen 8.2 points since 2006, 71.2% to 79.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage CB 125RS passes first time 79.0% of the time; by 30k that's 60.9%.

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 CB 125RS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	165	30.5	2.4×
brakes	113	20.9	1.9×
steering and suspension	97	17.9	2.5×
tyres and wheels	44	8.1	2.0×
drive system	35	6.5	4.4×
lamps and reflectors	29	5.4	1.0×
body and structure	18	3.3	3.6×
structure and attachments	14	2.6	1.3×
driving controls	13	2.4	6.0×
fuel and exhaust	13	2.4	1.7×

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 CB 125RS 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 CB 125RS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (74.2% pass). Weakest: 1985 (63.1%).

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.

HONDA CB 125RS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB 125RS reliable?

The HONDA CB 125RS is about average for its class: 71.9% of its 915 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4589 of 5426 models.

What does a CB 125RS fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 30% of all defects recorded against failed CB 125RS tests.

What is the best year of CB 125RS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (74.2%) and 1985 worst (63.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB 125RS last?

The median CB 125RS shows 14,632 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 60.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.