HONDA SH125I

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3997 of 5426 overall #760 of 921 HONDAs #167 of 734 commuter bikes

77.4%

first-time pass rate

14.3%

failed outright

12,963

median miles at test

523

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2019

The SH125I's first-time pass rate has risen 2.0 points since 2011, 81.3% to 83.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SH125I's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SH125I passes first time 80.1% of the time; by 30k that's 69.0%.

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 SH125I

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	54	37	2.0×
lighting and signalling	24	16.4	0.9×
steering and suspension	19	13	1.0×
tyres and wheels	16	11	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	16	11	1.3×
tyres	5	3.4	1.4×
reg plates and vin	4	2.7	1.3×
driving controls	3	2.1	2.4×
structure and attachments	3	2.1	0.8×
steering	2	1.4	0.9×

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 SH125I 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 SH125I.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (82.4% pass). Weakest: 2009 (73.9%).

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 SH125I FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA SH125I reliable?

The HONDA SH125I is more reliable than average for its class: 77.4% of its 523 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3997 of 5426 models.

What does a SH125I fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 37% of all defects recorded against failed SH125I tests.

What is the best year of SH125I to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (82.4%) and 2009 worst (73.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SH125I last?

The median SH125I shows 12,963 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 69.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.