HONDA SH

125cc Petrol Class 1

#2768 of 5426 overall #423 of 921 HONDAs #37 of 734 commuter bikes

83.9%

first-time pass rate

8.8%

failed outright

19,582

median miles at test

20.1k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SH's first-time pass rate has risen 6.4 points since 2011, 79.2% to 85.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SH passes first time 92.6% of the time; by 50k that's 77.2%.

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 SH

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	1,439	39.1	3.1×
brakes	794	21.6	0.7×
tyres	495	13.4	3.2×
suspension	327	8.9	1.8×
steering	277	7.5	2.9×
lighting and signalling	114	3.1	0.1×
structure and attachments	95	2.6	0.6×
tyres and wheels	55	1.5	0.1×
steering and suspension	51	1.4	0.1×
wheels	36	1	3.0×

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 SH 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 SH.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2019 (89.2% pass). Weakest: 2009 (77.4%).

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 SH FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH reliable?

The HONDA SH is more reliable than average for its class: 83.9% of its 20,115 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2768 of 5426 models.

What does a SH fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 39% of all defects recorded against failed SH tests.

What is the best year of SH to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2019-registered examples do best (89.2%) and 2009 worst (77.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH last?

The median SH shows 19,582 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.