HONDA NS125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#5349 of 5426 overall #920 of 921 HONDAs #700 of 734 commuter bikes

54.0%

first-time pass rate

37.3%

failed outright

23,047

median miles at test

2,860

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The NS125's first-time pass rate has risen 19.6 points since 2005, 51.6% to 71.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the NS125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage NS125 passes first time 64.8% of the time; by 50k that's 52.9%.

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 NS125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,494	33.1	6.1×
steering and suspension	1,344	29.8	8.1×
brakes	671	14.9	3.6×
drive system	263	5.8	10.0×
tyres and wheels	209	4.6	3.2×
body and structure	194	4.3	10.4×
fuel and exhaust	124	2.7	4.9×
lamps and reflectors	76	1.7	1.0×
suspension	71	1.6	2.2×
reg plates and vin	65	1.4	3.3×

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 NS125 beats 0 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 NS125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1993 (60.2% pass). Weakest: 1990 (51.0%).

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 NS125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NS125 reliable?

The HONDA NS125 is less reliable than average for its class: 54.0% of its 2,860 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5349 of 5426 models.

What does a NS125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed NS125 tests.

What is the best year of NS125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (60.2%) and 1990 worst (51.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NS125 last?

The median NS125 shows 23,047 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 52.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.