HONDA FES 125-9

125cc Petrol Class 1

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

78.3%

first-time pass rate

13.7%

failed outright

17,497

median miles at test

1,659

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2012–2025

The FES 125-9's first-time pass rate has fallen 8.7 points since 2012, 83.7% to 75.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FES 125-9's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage FES 125-9 passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 50k that's 72.9%.

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 FES 125-9

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	178	36.5	1.8×
lighting and signalling	85	17.4	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	68	13.9	1.7×
tyres and wheels	60	12.3	1.7×
steering and suspension	34	7	0.6×
suspension	33	6.8	1.8×
tyres	22	4.5	1.9×
Identification of the vehicle	3	0.6	0.8×
steering	3	0.6	0.4×
reg plates and vin	2	0.4	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 125-9 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 125-9.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (82.6% pass). Weakest: 2009 (77.0%).

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 FES 125-9 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA FES 125-9 reliable?

The HONDA FES 125-9 is more reliable than average for its class: 78.3% of its 1,659 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 125-9 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed FES 125-9 tests.

What is the best year of FES 125-9 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (82.6%) and 2009 worst (77.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FES 125-9 last?

The median FES 125-9 shows 17,497 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 72.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.