KAWASAKI AR125

123cc Petrol Class 1

#4914 of 5426 overall #588 of 592 KAWASAKIs #475 of 734 commuter bikes

66.8%

first-time pass rate

25.6%

failed outright

17,317

median miles at test

1,011

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2019

The AR125's first-time pass rate has risen 10.1 points since 2006, 63.2% to 73.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the AR125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage AR125 passes first time 80.1% of the time; by 30k that's 54.4%.

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 AR125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	337	32.7	4.0×
steering and suspension	244	23.6	4.5×
brakes	149	14.4	2.4×
drive system	77	7.5	7.8×
tyres and wheels	76	7.4	2.9×
body and structure	70	6.8	9.7×
fuel and exhaust	42	4.1	4.7×
lamps and reflectors	17	1.6	0.6×
structure and attachments	10	1	0.9×
reg plates and vin	10	1	1.6×

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 AR125 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 AR125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1992 (78.5% pass). Weakest: 1988 (59.3%).

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.

KAWASAKI AR125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI AR125 reliable?

The KAWASAKI AR125 is less reliable than average for its class: 66.8% of its 1,011 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4914 of 5426 models.

What does a AR125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed AR125 tests.

What is the best year of AR125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1992-registered examples do best (78.5%) and 1988 worst (59.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a AR125 last?

The median AR125 shows 17,317 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 54.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.