KAWASAKI BN125A3

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4687 of 5426 overall #569 of 592 KAWASAKIs #359 of 734 commuter bikes

70.6%

first-time pass rate

20.3%

failed outright

10,027

median miles at test

1,055

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The BN125A3's first-time pass rate has fallen 11.4 points since 2006, 76.1% to 64.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the BN125A3's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage BN125A3 passes first time 77.1% of the time; by 20k that's 66.0%.

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 BN125A3

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	165	29.7	2.5×
steering and suspension	105	18.9	2.5×
lighting and signalling	95	17.1	1.5×
drive system	57	10.3	6.4×
tyres and wheels	36	6.5	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	27	4.9	0.8×
structure and attachments	25	4.5	2.6×
suspension	17	3.1	1.5×
reg plates and vin	16	2.9	2.5×
fuel and exhaust	13	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 BN125A3 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 BN125A3.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (70.8% pass). Weakest: 2000 (68.5%).

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 BN125A3 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI BN125A3 reliable?

The KAWASAKI BN125A3 is less reliable than average for its class: 70.6% of its 1,055 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4687 of 5426 models.

What does a BN125A3 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 30% of all defects recorded against failed BN125A3 tests.

How many miles will a BN125A3 last?

The median BN125A3 shows 10,027 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 66.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.