HONDA CBR 125 RW-5

125cc Petrol Class 1

#5029 of 5426 overall #913 of 921 HONDAs #225 of 226 sport bikes

64.7%

first-time pass rate

25.9%

failed outright

12,840

median miles at test

3,981

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2025

The CBR 125 RW-5's first-time pass rate has fallen 20.3 points since 2008, 75.6% to 55.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage CBR 125 RW-5 passes first time 75.8% of the time; by 40k that's 57.4%.

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 CBR 125 RW-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	677	23.4	2.8×
lighting and signalling	598	20.6	2.3×
steering and suspension	414	14.3	2.6×
drive system	341	11.8	8.5×
tyres and wheels	322	11.1	3.3×
lamps and reflectors	197	6.8	1.9×
structure and attachments	127	4.4	3.0×
fuel and exhaust	87	3	2.5×
body and structure	79	2.7	3.5×
steering	57	2	2.7×

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 CBR 125 RW-5 beats 0 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 RW-5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (70.6% pass). Weakest: 2004 (59.7%).

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 RW-5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR 125 RW-5 reliable?

The HONDA CBR 125 RW-5 is less reliable than average for its class: 64.7% of its 3,981 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5029 of 5426 models.

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

brakes — 23% of all defects recorded against failed CBR 125 RW-5 tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (70.6%) and 2004 worst (59.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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

The median CBR 125 RW-5 shows 12,840 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 57.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.