HONDA PES

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3805 of 5426 overall #699 of 921 HONDAs #130 of 734 commuter bikes

78.8%

first-time pass rate

12.0%

failed outright

15,468

median miles at test

1,792

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The PES's first-time pass rate has risen 7.2 points since 2011, 77.0% to 84.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage PES passes first time 85.8% of the time; by 50k that's 69.4%.

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 PES

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	156	32.2	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	83	17.1	2.0×
lighting and signalling	70	14.5	0.7×
suspension	55	11.4	3.2×
steering and suspension	36	7.4	0.5×
tyres and wheels	35	7.2	0.9×
tyres	28	5.8	2.3×
steering	11	2.3	1.3×
body and structure	5	1	0.6×
structure and attachments	5	1	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 PES 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 PES.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (87.4% pass). Weakest: 2011 (74.5%).

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 PES FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA PES reliable?

The HONDA PES is more reliable than average for its class: 78.8% of its 1,792 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3805 of 5426 models.

What does a PES fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed PES tests.

What is the best year of PES to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (87.4%) and 2011 worst (74.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a PES last?

The median PES shows 15,468 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 69.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.