HONDA XR125L

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4904 of 5426 overall #899 of 921 HONDAs #469 of 734 commuter bikes

67.0%

first-time pass rate

21.4%

failed outright

12,232

median miles at test

15.5k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The XR125L's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.3 points since 2006, 75.8% to 70.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XR125L's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XR125L passes first time 74.6% of the time; by 50k that's 58.8%.

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 XR125L

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	2,816	29.5	2.7×
steering and suspension	1,813	19	2.6×
brakes	1,516	15.9	1.7×
drive system	822	8.6	5.2×
lamps and reflectors	730	7.6	1.6×
tyres and wheels	629	6.6	1.7×
structure and attachments	368	3.8	2.1×
fuel and exhaust	346	3.6	2.6×
suspension	270	2.8	1.9×
body and structure	251	2.6	2.8×

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 XR125L 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 XR125L.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (74.3% pass). Weakest: 2005 (65.6%).

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 XR125L FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA XR125L reliable?

The HONDA XR125L is less reliable than average for its class: 67.0% of its 15,463 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4904 of 5426 models.

What does a XR125L fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed XR125L tests.

What is the best year of XR125L to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (74.3%) and 2005 worst (65.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XR125L last?

The median XR125L shows 12,232 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 58.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.