HONDA CG125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4566 of 5426 overall #864 of 921 HONDAs #309 of 734 commuter bikes

72.2%

first-time pass rate

16.8%

failed outright

17,460

median miles at test

89.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The CG125's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2005 (75.4% → 76.4%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the CG125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage CG125 passes first time 79.3% of the time; by 50k that's 65.8%.

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 CG125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	14,046	32.3	2.1×
steering and suspension	8,676	20	2.1×
brakes	6,507	15	1.2×
tyres and wheels	4,167	9.6	2.0×
drive system	3,248	7.5	3.6×
lamps and reflectors	2,843	6.5	1.1×
structure and attachments	1,283	3	1.4×
body and structure	991	2.3	1.9×
fuel and exhaust	909	2.1	1.2×
suspension	809	1.9	0.9×

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 CG125 beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YBR 125, HONDA CBF125, GILERA RUNNER).

YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests HONDA CBF125 73.3% pass · 84.4k 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 CG125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1980 (79.1% pass). Weakest: 1978 (67.0%).

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 CG125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CG125 reliable?

The HONDA CG125 is about average for its class: 72.2% of its 89,345 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4566 of 5426 models.

What does a CG125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed CG125 tests.

What is the best year of CG125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1980-registered examples do best (79.1%) and 1978 worst (67.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CG125 last?

The median CG125 shows 17,460 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 65.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.