HONDA SES 125-4

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4149 of 5426 overall #791 of 921 HONDAs #198 of 734 commuter bikes

76.3%

first-time pass rate

15.0%

failed outright

12,473

median miles at test

1,811

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2022

The SES 125-4's first-time pass rate has fallen 11.3 points since 2007, 83.5% to 72.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SES 125-4's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SES 125-4 passes first time 82.3% of the time; by 40k that's 62.5%.

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 SES 125-4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	238	38.4	2.1×
lighting and signalling	107	17.3	1.0×
steering and suspension	93	15	1.3×
tyres and wheels	75	12.1	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	38	6.1	1.0×
suspension	36	5.8	1.8×
tyres	11	1.8	0.6×
body and structure	8	1.3	0.8×
steering	8	1.3	0.9×
structure and attachments	5	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 SES 125-4 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 SES 125-4.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (78.0% pass). Weakest: 2003 (71.9%).

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 SES 125-4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SES 125-4 reliable?

The HONDA SES 125-4 is more reliable than average for its class: 76.3% of its 1,811 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4149 of 5426 models.

What does a SES 125-4 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 38% of all defects recorded against failed SES 125-4 tests.

What is the best year of SES 125-4 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (78.0%) and 2003 worst (71.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SES 125-4 last?

The median SES 125-4 shows 12,473 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 62.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.