HONDA XL 125 V-B

125cc Petrol Class 1

#2866 of 5426 overall #448 of 921 HONDAs #42 of 734 commuter bikes

83.4%

first-time pass rate

10.3%

failed outright

13,216

median miles at test

1,258

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2014–2025

The XL 125 V-B's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.1 points since 2014, 90.9% to 83.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage XL 125 V-B passes first time 85.7% of the time; by 30k that's 71.6%.

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-B

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	90	33.8	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	39	14.7	1.6×
drive system	24	9	1.8×
lighting and signalling	24	9	0.4×
structure and attachments	21	7.9	1.6×
steering	15	5.6	2.3×
suspension	14	5.3	1.4×
steering and suspension	14	5.3	0.4×
tyres and wheels	13	4.9	0.5×
tyres	12	4.5	1.3×

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-B 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-B.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2011 (85.4% pass). Weakest: 2010 (78.0%).

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-B FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL 125 V-B reliable?

The HONDA XL 125 V-B is more reliable than average for its class: 83.4% of its 1,258 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2866 of 5426 models.

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

brakes — 34% of all defects recorded against failed XL 125 V-B tests.

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

By first-time pass rate, 2011-registered examples do best (85.4%) and 2010 worst (78.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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

The median XL 125 V-B shows 13,216 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 71.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.