HONDA NSR125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#5218 of 5426 overall #918 of 921 HONDAs #626 of 734 commuter bikes

59.9%

first-time pass rate

30.3%

failed outright

17,443

median miles at test

10.0k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The NSR125's first-time pass rate has risen 3.7 points since 2005, 67.8% to 71.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the NSR125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage NSR125 passes first time 67.9% of the time; by 50k that's 64.4%.

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 NSR125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	3,209	30.3	4.3×
steering and suspension	2,704	25.6	5.5×
brakes	1,753	16.6	2.8×
drive system	874	8.3	9.0×
tyres and wheels	577	5.5	2.5×
body and structure	509	4.8	7.6×
lamps and reflectors	306	2.9	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	283	2.7	3.3×
structure and attachments	203	1.9	1.9×
reg plates and vin	158	1.5	2.5×

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 NSR125 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 NSR125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (70.7% pass). Weakest: 1991 (53.4%).

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 NSR125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NSR125 reliable?

The HONDA NSR125 is less reliable than average for its class: 59.9% of its 10,030 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5218 of 5426 models.

What does a NSR125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 30% of all defects recorded against failed NSR125 tests.

What is the best year of NSR125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (70.7%) and 1991 worst (53.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NSR125 last?

The median NSR125 shows 17,443 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 64.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.