HONDA XR125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#5084 of 5426 overall #916 of 921 HONDAs #557 of 734 commuter bikes

63.5%

first-time pass rate

22.7%

failed outright

13,556

median miles at test

768

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2018

The XR125's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.1 points since 2009, 62.1% to 60.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XR125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XR125 passes first time 67.9% of the time; by 30k that's 61.1%.

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 XR125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	162	30.6	2.9×
brakes	79	14.9	1.8×
steering and suspension	76	14.3	2.2×
lamps and reflectors	64	12.1	2.4×
drive system	49	9.2	6.3×
structure and attachments	32	6	3.2×
tyres and wheels	26	4.9	1.5×
suspension	21	4	3.0×
fuel and exhaust	11	2.1	1.5×
body and structure	10	1.9	2.2×

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 XR125 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 XR125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (67.8% pass). Weakest: 2007 (51.0%).

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 XR125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XR125 reliable?

The HONDA XR125 is less reliable than average for its class: 63.5% of its 768 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5084 of 5426 models.

What does a XR125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed XR125 tests.

What is the best year of XR125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (67.8%) and 2007 worst (51.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XR125 last?

The median XR125 shows 13,556 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 61.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.