HONDA CB125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4274 of 5426 overall #820 of 921 HONDAs #195 of 205 naked bikes

75.2%

first-time pass rate

15.7%

failed outright

17,250

median miles at test

1,059

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The CB125's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.7 points since 2006, 73.4% to 66.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CB125 passes first time 82.6% of the time; by 40k that's 62.2%.

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 CB125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	194	39	2.2×
steering and suspension	103	20.7	2.0×
brakes	50	10.1	0.8×
tyres and wheels	40	8	1.7×
drive system	39	7.8	3.7×
body and structure	31	6.2	4.5×
lamps and reflectors	12	2.4	0.4×
driving controls	11	2.2	4.0×
reg plates and vin	9	1.8	1.3×
fuel and exhaust	8	1.6	1.0×

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 CB125 beats 0 of its 1 closest rivals (HONDA CB125F).

HONDA CB125F 81.2% pass · 30.6k 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 CB125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1975 (83.6% pass). Weakest: 1982 (66.2%).

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 CB125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CB125 reliable?

The HONDA CB125 is about average for its class: 75.2% of its 1,059 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4274 of 5426 models.

What does a CB125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 39% of all defects recorded against failed CB125 tests.

What is the best year of CB125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1975-registered examples do best (83.6%) and 1982 worst (66.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CB125 last?

The median CB125 shows 17,250 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 62.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.