HONDA SH125

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3787 of 5426 overall #694 of 921 HONDAs #126 of 734 commuter bikes

78.9%

first-time pass rate

13.1%

failed outright

14,158

median miles at test

18.2k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The SH125's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.1 points since 2005, 86.2% to 81.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SH125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SH125 passes first time 86.0% of the time; by 50k that's 74.3%.

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 SH125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,842	35.2	1.6×
lighting and signalling	1,038	19.8	1.0×
steering and suspension	717	13.7	1.0×
tyres and wheels	706	13.5	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	421	8	1.0×
tyres	164	3.1	1.2×
suspension	146	2.8	0.8×
steering	74	1.4	0.9×
reg plates and vin	72	1.4	0.6×
body and structure	56	1.1	0.6×

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 SH125 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 SH125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (86.2% pass). Weakest: 2015 (76.9%).

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 SH125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH125 reliable?

The HONDA SH125 is more reliable than average for its class: 78.9% of its 18,247 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3787 of 5426 models.

What does a SH125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 35% of all defects recorded against failed SH125 tests.

What is the best year of SH125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (86.2%) and 2015 worst (76.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH125 last?

The median SH125 shows 14,158 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 74.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.