HONDA XL 125 V-5

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4420 of 5426 overall #842 of 921 HONDAs #265 of 734 commuter bikes

73.8%

first-time pass rate

19.9%

failed outright

13,746

median miles at test

267

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 125 V-5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XL 125 V-5 passes first time 79.1% of the time; by 20k that's 65.3%.

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 XL 125 V-5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
brakes	32	27.8
lighting and signalling	19	16.5
steering and suspension	17	14.8
drive system	16	13.9
tyres and wheels	12	10.4
tyres	5	4.3
structure and attachments	5	4.3
driving controls	4	3.5
lamps and reflectors	3	2.6
fuel and exhaust	2	1.7

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the XL 125 V-5 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 XL 125 V-5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (76.4% pass). Weakest: 2005 (74.2%).

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.