HONDA FES 125-7

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4032 of 5426 overall #772 of 921 HONDAs #173 of 734 commuter bikes

77.2%

first-time pass rate

16.1%

failed outright

16,668

median miles at test

3,786

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2010–2025

The FES 125-7's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.8 points since 2010, 89.4% to 84.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FES 125-7's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage FES 125-7 passes first time 85.3% of the time; by 50k that's 71.6%.

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 125-7

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	435	34.3	1.9×
lighting and signalling	256	20.2	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	148	11.7	1.6×
tyres and wheels	147	11.6	1.7×
steering and suspension	129	10.2	0.9×
suspension	63	5	1.6×
tyres	48	3.8	1.7×
reg plates and vin	25	2	1.1×
structure and attachments	9	0.7	0.3×
fuel and exhaust	8	0.6	0.2×

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 125-7 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 125-7.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (77.7% pass). Weakest: 2007 (76.2%).

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 FES 125-7 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA FES 125-7 reliable?

The HONDA FES 125-7 is more reliable than average for its class: 77.2% of its 3,786 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4032 of 5426 models.

What does a FES 125-7 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 34% of all defects recorded against failed FES 125-7 tests.

What is the best year of FES 125-7 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (77.7%) and 2007 worst (76.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FES 125-7 last?

The median FES 125-7 shows 16,668 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 71.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.