HONDA NES 125-Y

124cc Petrol Class 1

#3733 of 5426 overall #677 of 921 HONDAs #118 of 734 commuter bikes

79.2%

first-time pass rate

14.7%

failed outright

13,137

median miles at test

4,348

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The NES 125-Y's first-time pass rate has risen 1.5 points since 2005, 82.2% to 83.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage NES 125-Y passes first time 87.5% of the time; by 50k that's 76.5%.

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 NES 125-Y

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	483	34.3	1.8×
steering and suspension	334	23.7	1.8×
lighting and signalling	272	19.3	1.1×
tyres and wheels	162	11.5	1.6×
suspension	38	2.7	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	34	2.4	0.4×
body and structure	27	1.9	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	22	1.6	0.5×
tyres	19	1.3	0.4×
reg plates and vin	18	1.3	0.7×

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 NES 125-Y 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 NES 125-Y.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (81.3% pass). Weakest: 2003 (68.0%).

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 NES 125-Y FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NES 125-Y reliable?

The HONDA NES 125-Y is more reliable than average for its class: 79.2% of its 4,348 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3733 of 5426 models.

What does a NES 125-Y fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 34% of all defects recorded against failed NES 125-Y tests.

What is the best year of NES 125-Y to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (81.3%) and 2003 worst (68.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NES 125-Y last?

The median NES 125-Y shows 13,137 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.