HONDA XL125V

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4638 of 5426 overall #874 of 921 HONDAs #331 of 734 commuter bikes

71.2%

first-time pass rate

20.4%

failed outright

16,087

median miles at test

26.4k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XL125V's first-time pass rate has fallen 8.2 points since 2005, 80.2% to 72.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XL125V's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XL125V passes first time 79.9% of the time; by 50k that's 66.0%.

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 XL125V

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	4,450	32.6	2.6×
steering and suspension	2,374	17.4	2.1×
lighting and signalling	2,129	15.6	1.5×
drive system	1,318	9.6	5.3×
lamps and reflectors	892	6.5	1.4×
tyres and wheels	880	6.4	1.4×
structure and attachments	634	4.6	2.4×
suspension	453	3.3	1.8×
steering	268	2	2.0×
tyres	267	2	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 XL125V beats 2 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 XL125V.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (78.8% pass). Weakest: 2002 (67.2%).

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 XL125V FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XL125V reliable?

The HONDA XL125V is less reliable than average for its class: 71.2% of its 26,407 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4638 of 5426 models.

What does a XL125V fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 33% of all defects recorded against failed XL125V tests.

What is the best year of XL125V to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (78.8%) and 2002 worst (67.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XL125V last?

The median XL125V shows 16,087 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 66.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.