HONDA S-WING

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4321 of 5426 overall #827 of 921 HONDAs #241 of 734 commuter bikes

74.8%

first-time pass rate

19.0%

failed outright

16,845

median miles at test

831

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2023

The S-WING's first-time pass rate has fallen 20.1 points since 2011, 79.5% to 59.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage S-WING passes first time 82.8% of the time; by 40k that's 73.5%.

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 S-WING

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	136	35.9	2.3×
lamps and reflectors	55	14.5	2.5×
lighting and signalling	54	14.2	1.1×
tyres and wheels	50	13.2	2.5×
suspension	24	6.3	2.8×
steering and suspension	23	6.1	0.7×
tyres	22	5.8	2.6×
steering	8	2.1	1.4×
structure and attachments	5	1.3	0.9×
Identification of the vehicle	2	0.5	1.0×

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 S-WING 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 S-WING.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (80.2% pass). Weakest: 2007 (69.9%).

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 S-WING FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA S-WING reliable?

The HONDA S-WING is about average for its class: 74.8% of its 831 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4321 of 5426 models.

What does a S-WING fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed S-WING tests.

What is the best year of S-WING to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (80.2%) and 2007 worst (69.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a S-WING last?

The median S-WING shows 16,845 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 73.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.