HONDA FES

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3872 of 5426 overall #726 of 921 HONDAs #145 of 734 commuter bikes

78.3%

first-time pass rate

13.4%

failed outright

16,424

median miles at test

1,387

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2016–2025

The FES's first-time pass rate has risen 11.4 points since 2016, 73.5% to 84.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FES passes first time 88.9% of the time; by 50k that's 65.0%.

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 FES

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	141	31.4	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	127	28.3	3.4×
tyres	65	14.5	6.0×
tyres and wheels	26	5.8	0.8×
steering	24	5.3	3.6×
suspension	24	5.3	1.7×
lighting and signalling	24	5.3	0.3×
steering and suspension	12	2.7	0.2×
wheels	3	0.7	3.6×
structure and attachments	3	0.7	0.3×

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

YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests HONDA CG125 72.2% pass · 89.3k tests HONDA CBF125 73.3% pass · 84.4k tests GILERA RUNNER 70.8% pass · 69.9k 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 FES.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2015 (85.9% pass). Weakest: 2008 (64.7%).

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 FES FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA FES reliable?

The HONDA FES is more reliable than average for its class: 78.3% of its 1,387 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3872 of 5426 models.

What does a FES fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 31% of all defects recorded against failed FES tests.

What is the best year of FES to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2015-registered examples do best (85.9%) and 2008 worst (64.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FES last?

The median FES shows 16,424 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 65.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.