HONDA CBF125

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4469 of 5426 overall #852 of 921 HONDAs #280 of 734 commuter bikes

HONDA CBF125 — Photo: Grf · CC BY-SA 3.0

73.3%

first-time pass rate

16.5%

failed outright

10,974

median miles at test

84.4k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The CBF125's first-time pass rate has risen 9.7 points since 2011, 69.3% to 79.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBF125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CBF125 passes first time 80.3% of the time; by 50k that's 67.4%.

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 CBF125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	7,751	21.7	1.6×
lamps and reflectors	6,293	17.6	3.0×
structure and attachments	4,671	13.1	5.5×
lighting and signalling	4,173	11.7	0.8×
steering and suspension	2,996	8.4	0.9×
steering	2,796	7.8	6.3×
drive system	2,455	6.9	2.8×
tyres	2,006	5.6	3.1×
suspension	1,370	3.8	1.9×
tyres and wheels	1,187	3.3	0.6×

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 CBF125 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YBR 125, HONDA CG125, GILERA RUNNER).

YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests HONDA CG125 72.2% pass · 89.3k tests GILERA RUNNER 70.8% pass · 69.9k tests YAMAHA DT125 65.8% pass · 39.1k 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 CBF125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2023 (87.3% pass). Weakest: 2009 (69.3%).

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 CBF125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBF125 reliable?

The HONDA CBF125 is about average for its class: 73.3% of its 84,425 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4469 of 5426 models.

What does a CBF125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed CBF125 tests.

What is the best year of CBF125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2023-registered examples do best (87.3%) and 2009 worst (69.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBF125 last?

The median CBF125 shows 10,974 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 67.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.