HONDA VT 125

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4873 of 5426 overall #896 of 921 HONDAs #451 of 734 commuter bikes

67.7%

first-time pass rate

21.5%

failed outright

11,789

median miles at test

1,065

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2023

The VT 125's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (74.1% → 73.5%).

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VT 125 passes first time 75.7% of the time; by 40k that's 68.3%.

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 VT 125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	185	31.8	3.1×
lighting and signalling	123	21.1	2.0×
tyres and wheels	68	11.7	2.7×
drive system	59	10.1	5.9×
steering and suspension	54	9.3	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	25	4.3	1.0×
structure and attachments	24	4.1	2.2×
fuel and exhaust	15	2.6	1.5×
body and structure	15	2.6	2.7×
suspension	14	2.4	1.5×

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 VT 125 beats 0 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 VT 125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (75.8% pass). Weakest: 2004 (65.6%).

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 VT 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA VT 125 reliable?

The HONDA VT 125 is less reliable than average for its class: 67.7% of its 1,065 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4873 of 5426 models.

What does a VT 125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed VT 125 tests.

What is the best year of VT 125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (75.8%) and 2004 worst (65.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VT 125 last?

The median VT 125 shows 11,789 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 68.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.