HONDA CBR125

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4990 of 5426 overall #908 of 921 HONDAs #221 of 226 sport bikes

65.5%

first-time pass rate

25.5%

failed outright

12,780

median miles at test

3,077

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The CBR125's first-time pass rate has fallen 17.9 points since 2007, 75.8% to 57.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CBR125 passes first time 75.5% 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 CBR125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	514	22.7	2.7×
lighting and signalling	438	19.3	2.2×
steering and suspension	345	15.2	2.6×
tyres and wheels	267	11.8	3.6×
drive system	227	10	7.5×
lamps and reflectors	201	8.9	2.1×
structure and attachments	115	5.1	3.6×
body and structure	62	2.7	3.2×
steering	51	2.2	2.9×
tyres	49	2.2	2.0×

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 CBR125 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 CBR125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (74.5% pass). Weakest: 2004 (58.2%).

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 CBR125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR125 reliable?

The HONDA CBR125 is less reliable than average for its class: 65.5% of its 3,077 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4990 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 23% of all defects recorded against failed CBR125 tests.

What is the best year of CBR125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (74.5%) and 2004 worst (58.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR125 last?

The median CBR125 shows 12,780 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 57.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.