HONDA CBR 125 R-5

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4938 of 5426 overall #904 of 921 HONDAs #220 of 226 sport bikes

66.5%

first-time pass rate

24.3%

failed outright

13,007

median miles at test

2,420

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2024

The CBR 125 R-5's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.6 points since 2008, 78.3% to 72.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR 125 R-5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CBR 125 R-5 passes first time 74.0% of the time; by 40k that's 68.9%.

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 CBR 125 R-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	397	22.5	2.5×
brakes	386	21.8	2.6×
steering and suspension	270	15.3	2.6×
drive system	226	12.8	8.5×
tyres and wheels	166	9.4	2.9×
lamps and reflectors	114	6.5	1.6×
structure and attachments	61	3.5	2.5×
steering	52	2.9	3.2×
fuel and exhaust	52	2.9	2.7×
body and structure	43	2.4	3.2×

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 CBR 125 R-5 beats 1 of its 3 closest rivals (YAMAHA YZF-R125, HONDA CBR125R, HONDA CBR 125 R-4).

YAMAHA YZF-R125 68.0% pass · 63.7k tests HONDA CBR125R 66.8% pass · 26.5k tests HONDA CBR 125 R-4 65.1% pass · 6,736 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 CBR 125 R-5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (67.5% pass). Weakest: 2005 (66.0%).

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 CBR 125 R-5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR 125 R-5 reliable?

The HONDA CBR 125 R-5 is less reliable than average for its class: 66.5% of its 2,420 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4938 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR 125 R-5 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 22% of all defects recorded against failed CBR 125 R-5 tests.

What is the best year of CBR 125 R-5 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (67.5%) and 2005 worst (66.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR 125 R-5 last?

The median CBR 125 R-5 shows 13,007 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 68.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.