HONDA VARADERO

125cc Petrol Class 1

#3854 of 5426 overall #722 of 921 HONDAs #141 of 734 commuter bikes

78.4%

first-time pass rate

13.7%

failed outright

17,015

median miles at test

842

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2023

The VARADERO's first-time pass rate has fallen 11.1 points since 2007, 91.7% to 80.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VARADERO passes first time 85.0% of the time; by 40k that's 73.9%.

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 VARADERO

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	93	35.2	1.7×
lighting and signalling	39	14.8	0.8×
steering and suspension	33	12.5	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	20	7.6	1.1×
tyres and wheels	18	6.8	1.0×
drive system	18	6.8	2.6×
tyres	16	6.1	2.4×
suspension	11	4.2	1.6×
structure and attachments	11	4.2	1.7×
steering	5	1.9	1.4×

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 VARADERO 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 VARADERO.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2002 (90.0% pass). Weakest: 2008 (71.6%).

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 VARADERO FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VARADERO reliable?

The HONDA VARADERO is more reliable than average for its class: 78.4% of its 842 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3854 of 5426 models.

What does a VARADERO fail its MOT on most?

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

What is the best year of VARADERO to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2002-registered examples do best (90.0%) and 2008 worst (71.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VARADERO last?

The median VARADERO shows 17,015 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 73.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.