HONDA XL 125 V-4

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4691 of 5426 overall #881 of 921 HONDAs #362 of 734 commuter bikes

70.5%

first-time pass rate

21.6%

failed outright

16,539

median miles at test

2,664

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The XL 125 V-4's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.6 points since 2007, 76.2% to 70.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 125 V-4's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XL 125 V-4 passes first time 79.5% of the time; by 50k that's 71.8%.

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 XL 125 V-4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	480	32.4	2.9×
steering and suspension	293	19.8	2.5×
lighting and signalling	249	16.8	1.7×
drive system	131	8.8	5.1×
tyres and wheels	116	7.8	1.8×
lamps and reflectors	59	4	1.1×
structure and attachments	53	3.6	2.0×
suspension	42	2.8	1.6×
steering	34	2.3	2.2×
fuel and exhaust	24	1.6	1.0×

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 XL 125 V-4 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 XL 125 V-4.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (70.7% pass). Weakest: 2003 (68.6%).

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 XL 125 V-4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 125 V-4 reliable?

The HONDA XL 125 V-4 is less reliable than average for its class: 70.5% of its 2,664 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4691 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 125 V-4 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed XL 125 V-4 tests.

What is the best year of XL 125 V-4 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (70.7%) and 2003 worst (68.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL 125 V-4 last?

The median XL 125 V-4 shows 16,539 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 71.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.