HONDA XL125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4450 of 5426 overall #847 of 921 HONDAs #275 of 734 commuter bikes

73.5%

first-time pass rate

16.1%

failed outright

18,846

median miles at test

4,015

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The XL125's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.3 points since 2005, 79.7% to 77.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XL125 passes first time 77.8% of the time; by 50k that's 69.8%.

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 XL125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	688	34.5	2.0×
steering and suspension	354	17.8	2.0×
brakes	303	15.2	1.3×
drive system	183	9.2	4.1×
tyres and wheels	147	7.4	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	112	5.6	1.0×
body and structure	71	3.6	2.9×
fuel and exhaust	51	2.6	1.4×
structure and attachments	46	2.3	1.2×
reg plates and vin	38	1.9	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 XL125 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 XL125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1977 (88.0% pass). Weakest: 2005 (59.3%).

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 XL125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL125 reliable?

The HONDA XL125 is about average for its class: 73.5% of its 4,015 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4450 of 5426 models.

What does a XL125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 35% of all defects recorded against failed XL125 tests.

What is the best year of XL125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1977-registered examples do best (88.0%) and 2005 worst (59.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL125 last?

The median XL125 shows 18,846 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 69.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.