HONDA SH 125-8

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3940 of 5426 overall #745 of 921 HONDAs #161 of 734 commuter bikes

77.8%

first-time pass rate

13.2%

failed outright

15,113

median miles at test

2,817

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SH 125-8's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.6 points since 2011, 81.2% to 78.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SH 125-8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SH 125-8 passes first time 85.9% of the time; by 50k that's 71.7%.

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 125-8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	337	39.4	1.9×
lighting and signalling	146	17.1	1.0×
tyres and wheels	105	12.3	1.6×
lamps and reflectors	100	11.7	1.5×
steering and suspension	53	6.2	0.6×
suspension	34	4	1.3×
tyres	32	3.7	1.5×
steering	18	2.1	1.4×
structure and attachments	17	2	0.7×
reg plates and vin	14	1.6	0.7×

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 125-8 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 125-8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (78.1% pass). Weakest: 2010 (72.6%).

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 125-8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH 125-8 reliable?

The HONDA SH 125-8 is more reliable than average for its class: 77.8% of its 2,817 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3940 of 5426 models.

What does a SH 125-8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 39% of all defects recorded against failed SH 125-8 tests.

What is the best year of SH 125-8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (78.1%) and 2010 worst (72.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH 125-8 last?

The median SH 125-8 shows 15,113 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 71.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.