KAWASAKI BN125A5

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4629 of 5426 overall #567 of 592 KAWASAKIs #326 of 734 commuter bikes

71.3%

first-time pass rate

17.7%

failed outright

8,868

median miles at test

855

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The BN125A5's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (82.9% → 83.3%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the BN125A5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage BN125A5 passes first time 78.6% of the time; by 20k that's 50.7%.

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 BN125A5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	108	31.8	2.2×
steering and suspension	50	14.7	1.6×
drive system	48	14.1	5.2×
lighting and signalling	46	13.5	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	24	7.1	1.0×
tyres and wheels	23	6.8	1.2×
suspension	12	3.5	1.3×
structure and attachments	10	2.9	1.2×
reg plates and vin	10	2.9	1.8×
driving controls	9	2.6	4.5×

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 BN125A5 beats 2 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 BN125A5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2002 (73.5% pass). Weakest: 2003 (71.1%).

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 BN125A5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI BN125A5 reliable?

The KAWASAKI BN125A5 is less reliable than average for its class: 71.3% of its 855 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4629 of 5426 models.

What does a BN125A5 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 32% of all defects recorded against failed BN125A5 tests.

How many miles will a BN125A5 last?

The median BN125A5 shows 8,868 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 50.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.