HONDA SES125

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4289 of 5426 overall #823 of 921 HONDAs #230 of 734 commuter bikes

75.1%

first-time pass rate

16.8%

failed outright

14,986

median miles at test

30.8k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SES125's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.5 points since 2005, 83.6% to 82.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SES125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SES125 passes first time 83.1% of the time; by 50k that's 64.2%.

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 SES125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	4,324	36.3	2.3×
lighting and signalling	2,991	25.1	1.7×
steering and suspension	2,014	16.9	1.6×
tyres and wheels	1,289	10.8	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	378	3.2	0.5×
suspension	323	2.7	1.0×
tyres	190	1.6	0.8×
body and structure	173	1.5	1.0×
reg plates and vin	148	1.2	0.8×
fuel and exhaust	93	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 SES125 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 SES125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2003 (76.2% pass). Weakest: 2008 (70.0%).

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 SES125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SES125 reliable?

The HONDA SES125 is about average for its class: 75.1% of its 30,776 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4289 of 5426 models.

What does a SES125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed SES125 tests.

What is the best year of SES125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (76.2%) and 2008 worst (70.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SES125 last?

The median SES125 shows 14,986 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 64.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.