HONDA SH 125-7

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3719 of 5426 overall #670 of 921 HONDAs #113 of 734 commuter bikes

79.3%

first-time pass rate

12.4%

failed outright

18,126

median miles at test

2,430

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2010–2024

The SH 125-7's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.5 points since 2010, 81.5% to 75.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SH 125-7's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SH 125-7 passes first time 83.8% of the time; by 50k that's 82.0%.

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 125-7

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	230	38.1	1.6×
lighting and signalling	124	20.5	1.0×
tyres and wheels	80	13.2	1.6×
steering and suspension	56	9.3	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	47	7.8	0.9×
tyres	20	3.3	1.1×
suspension	15	2.5	0.7×
driving controls	13	2.2	2.1×
steering	11	1.8	0.9×
reg plates and vin	8	1.3	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 125-7 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 125-7.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (80.5% pass). Weakest: 2006 (73.8%).

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 125-7 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH 125-7 reliable?

The HONDA SH 125-7 is more reliable than average for its class: 79.3% of its 2,430 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3719 of 5426 models.

What does a SH 125-7 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 38% of all defects recorded against failed SH 125-7 tests.

What is the best year of SH 125-7 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (80.5%) and 2006 worst (73.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH 125-7 last?

The median SH 125-7 shows 18,126 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.