HONDA CBR125R

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4914 of 5426 overall #902 of 921 HONDAs #219 of 226 sport bikes

66.8%

first-time pass rate

24.1%

failed outright

12,502

median miles at test

26.5k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The CBR125R's first-time pass rate has fallen 13.7 points since 2007, 79.9% to 66.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR125R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CBR125R passes first time 76.3% of the time; by 50k that's 51.9%.

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 CBR125R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	4,240	24.1	2.6×
lighting and signalling	3,419	19.4	2.0×
steering and suspension	2,584	14.7	2.3×
tyres and wheels	1,851	10.5	2.8×
drive system	1,803	10.3	6.7×
lamps and reflectors	1,332	7.6	1.9×
structure and attachments	974	5.5	3.5×
suspension	489	2.8	1.9×
fuel and exhaust	449	2.6	2.0×
tyres	442	2.5	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 CBR125R beats 1 of its 2 closest rivals (YAMAHA YZF-R125, HONDA CBR 125 R-4).

YAMAHA YZF-R125 68.0% pass · 63.7k 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 CBR125R.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (78.0% pass). Weakest: 2005 (64.8%).

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 CBR125R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR125R reliable?

The HONDA CBR125R is less reliable than average for its class: 66.8% of its 26,473 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4914 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR125R fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 24% of all defects recorded against failed CBR125R tests.

What is the best year of CBR125R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (78.0%) and 2005 worst (64.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR125R last?

The median CBR125R shows 12,502 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 51.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.