HONDA SH 125 A

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3399 of 5426 overall #590 of 921 HONDAs #80 of 734 commuter bikes

80.9%

first-time pass rate

10.6%

failed outright

16,135

median miles at test

1,140

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2013–2024

The SH 125 A's first-time pass rate has fallen 14.9 points since 2013, 85.5% to 70.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SH 125 A passes first time 87.9% of the time; by 50k that's 80.6%.

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 A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	85	34.8	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	36	14.8	1.4×
lighting and signalling	33	13.5	0.6×
tyres and wheels	32	13.1	1.3×
steering and suspension	24	9.8	0.5×
tyres	11	4.5	1.2×
steering	9	3.7	1.9×
suspension	8	3.3	0.8×
reg plates and vin	3	1.2	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	3	1.2	0.8×

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 A 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 A.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (87.3% pass). Weakest: 2010 (79.8%).

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 A FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH 125 A reliable?

The HONDA SH 125 A is more reliable than average for its class: 80.9% of its 1,140 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3399 of 5426 models.

What does a SH 125 A fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 35% of all defects recorded against failed SH 125 A tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (87.3%) and 2010 worst (79.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH 125 A last?

The median SH 125 A shows 16,135 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.