HONDA NSR125R

125cc Petrol Class 1

#5293 of 5426 overall #919 of 921 HONDAs #667 of 734 commuter bikes

57.3%

first-time pass rate

33.3%

failed outright

16,854

median miles at test

3,646

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2020

The NSR125R's first-time pass rate has risen 8.4 points since 2005, 59.2% to 67.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the NSR125R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage NSR125R passes first time 69.0% of the time; by 50k that's 49.0%.

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 NSR125R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,369	30.3	5.0×
steering and suspension	1,179	26.1	6.6×
brakes	741	16.4	3.3×
drive system	383	8.5	10.9×
tyres and wheels	275	6.1	3.1×
body and structure	231	5.1	9.2×
fuel and exhaust	159	3.5	4.7×
reg plates and vin	84	1.9	3.5×
driving controls	56	1.2	6.5×
lamps and reflectors	37	0.8	0.4×

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 NSR125R 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 NSR125R.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (67.7% pass). Weakest: 1999 (50.9%).

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 NSR125R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA NSR125R reliable?

The HONDA NSR125R is less reliable than average for its class: 57.3% of its 3,646 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5293 of 5426 models.

What does a NSR125R fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 30% of all defects recorded against failed NSR125R tests.

What is the best year of NSR125R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (67.7%) and 1999 worst (50.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NSR125R last?

The median NSR125R shows 16,854 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 49.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.