HONDA XL 125 V-8

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4195 of 5426 overall #798 of 921 HONDAs #210 of 734 commuter bikes

75.9%

first-time pass rate

17.2%

failed outright

14,622

median miles at test

2,260

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The XL 125 V-8's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.4 points since 2011, 82.4% to 77.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 125 V-8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XL 125 V-8 passes first time 82.0% of the time; by 40k that's 68.5%.

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-8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	356	38.7	2.4×
steering and suspension	92	10	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	80	8.7	1.5×
drive system	70	7.6	3.1×
structure and attachments	69	7.5	3.2×
suspension	68	7.4	3.0×
lighting and signalling	62	6.7	0.5×
tyres and wheels	61	6.6	1.1×
tyres	35	3.8	1.9×
steering	26	2.8	2.2×

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-8 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-8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (82.0% pass). Weakest: 2009 (75.2%).

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.

HONDA XL 125 V-8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 125 V-8 reliable?

The HONDA XL 125 V-8 is more reliable than average for its class: 75.9% of its 2,260 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4195 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 125 V-8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 39% of all defects recorded against failed XL 125 V-8 tests.

What is the best year of XL 125 V-8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (82.0%) and 2009 worst (75.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL 125 V-8 last?

The median XL 125 V-8 shows 14,622 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 68.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.