HONDA XR 125 L-4

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4947 of 5426 overall #905 of 921 HONDAs #488 of 734 commuter bikes

66.4%

first-time pass rate

21.8%

failed outright

13,216

median miles at test

3,282

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2007–2025

The XR 125 L-4's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.0 points since 2007, 70.7% to 67.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XR 125 L-4's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XR 125 L-4 passes first time 76.0% of the time; by 40k that's 65.3%.

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 XR 125 L-4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	619	30	2.7×
steering and suspension	402	19.5	2.9×
brakes	343	16.6	1.9×
drive system	181	8.8	5.3×
lamps and reflectors	145	7	1.6×
tyres and wheels	123	6	1.6×
fuel and exhaust	80	3.9	2.8×
structure and attachments	71	3.4	2.2×
body and structure	55	2.7	2.9×
suspension	47	2.3	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 XR 125 L-4 beats 0 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 XR 125 L-4.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (70.9% pass). Weakest: 2004 (65.2%).

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 XR 125 L-4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XR 125 L-4 reliable?

The HONDA XR 125 L-4 is less reliable than average for its class: 66.4% of its 3,282 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4947 of 5426 models.

What does a XR 125 L-4 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 30% of all defects recorded against failed XR 125 L-4 tests.

What is the best year of XR 125 L-4 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (70.9%) and 2004 worst (65.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XR 125 L-4 last?

The median XR 125 L-4 shows 13,216 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 65.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.