HONLEY HD

123cc Petrol Class 1

#5036 of 5426 overall #1 of 1 HONLEYs #530 of 734 commuter bikes

64.5%

first-time pass rate

22.2%

failed outright

7,347

median miles at test

716

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2017–2025

The HD's first-time pass rate has risen 17.4 points since 2017, 55.3% to 72.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage HD passes first time 68.4% of the time; by 20k that's 53.1%.

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 HD

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	128	27.4	6.5×
brakes	88	18.8	2.0×
structure and attachments	75	16.1	10.2×
suspension	70	15	9.7×
steering	31	6.6	10.1×
lighting and signalling	30	6.4	0.5×
tyres	18	3.9	3.7×
steering and suspension	12	2.6	0.4×
drive system	9	1.9	1.4×
audible warning (Horn)	6	1.3	4.6×

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 HD 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 HD.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2015 (68.8% pass). Weakest: 2016 (60.9%).

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.

HONLEY HD FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONLEY HD reliable?

The HONLEY HD is less reliable than average for its class: 64.5% of its 716 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5036 of 5426 models.

What does a HD fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 27% of all defects recorded against failed HD tests.

What is the best year of HD to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2015-registered examples do best (68.8%) and 2016 worst (60.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a HD last?

The median HD shows 7,347 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 53.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.