HONDA REBEL

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4321 of 5426 overall #827 of 921 HONDAs #464 of 465 cruiser bikes

74.8%

first-time pass rate

18.0%

failed outright

16,466

median miles at test

1,764

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The REBEL's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.6 points since 2005, 80.6% to 75.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage REBEL passes first time 81.4% of the time; by 50k that's 75.0%.

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 REBEL

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	207	26.3	1.9×
brakes	170	21.6	1.8×
steering and suspension	103	13.1	1.4×
drive system	82	10.4	4.8×
tyres and wheels	62	7.9	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	62	7.9	1.5×
fuel and exhaust	35	4.4	2.1×
structure and attachments	30	3.8	1.9×
reg plates and vin	19	2.4	1.8×
tyres	17	2.2	1.3×

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.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1986 (85.0% pass). Weakest: 1995 (66.2%).

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 REBEL FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA REBEL reliable?

The HONDA REBEL is about average for its class: 74.8% of its 1,764 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4321 of 5426 models.

What does a REBEL fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 26% of all defects recorded against failed REBEL tests.

What is the best year of REBEL to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (85.0%) and 1995 worst (66.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a REBEL last?

The median REBEL shows 16,466 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.