HONDA SH 125-4

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3914 of 5426 overall #740 of 921 HONDAs #155 of 734 commuter bikes

78.0%

first-time pass rate

14.8%

failed outright

13,121

median miles at test

2,088

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2023

The SH 125-4's first-time pass rate has fallen 15.8 points since 2007, 90.2% to 74.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SH 125-4 passes first time 84.4% of the time; by 40k that's 77.0%.

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 SH 125-4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	255	39.3	2.0×
lighting and signalling	134	20.6	1.2×
tyres and wheels	96	14.8	2.1×
steering and suspension	69	10.6	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	41	6.3	0.8×
tyres	21	3.2	1.3×
suspension	13	2	0.6×
Items Not Tested	7	1.1	3.1×
steering	7	1.1	0.8×
reg plates and vin	6	0.9	0.5×

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 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 SH 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 (79.8% pass). Weakest: 2004 (77.2%).

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 SH 125-4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH 125-4 reliable?

The HONDA SH 125-4 is more reliable than average for its class: 78.0% of its 2,088 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3914 of 5426 models.

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

brakes — 39% of all defects recorded against failed SH 125-4 tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (79.8%) and 2004 worst (77.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH 125-4 last?

The median SH 125-4 shows 13,121 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 77.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.