HONDA XL 125 V-9

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4044 of 5426 overall #773 of 921 HONDAs #177 of 734 commuter bikes

77.1%

first-time pass rate

14.3%

failed outright

13,892

median miles at test

1,543

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2012–2025

The XL 125 V-9's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.7 points since 2012, 83.0% to 78.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL 125 V-9's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XL 125 V-9 passes first time 84.8% of the time; by 40k that's 74.2%.

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-9

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	208	43.5	2.0×
structure and attachments	48	10	3.4×
lamps and reflectors	42	8.8	1.4×
drive system	36	7.5	2.5×
tyres and wheels	30	6.3	0.9×
lighting and signalling	27	5.6	0.4×
steering	23	4.8	2.8×
steering and suspension	23	4.8	0.5×
tyres	22	4.6	1.7×
suspension	19	4	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 XL 125 V-9 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-9.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (78.0% pass). Weakest: 2009 (76.8%).

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-9 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 125 V-9 reliable?

The HONDA XL 125 V-9 is more reliable than average for its class: 77.1% of its 1,543 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4044 of 5426 models.

What does a XL 125 V-9 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 44% of all defects recorded against failed XL 125 V-9 tests.

How many miles will a XL 125 V-9 last?

The median XL 125 V-9 shows 13,892 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 74.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.