KAWASAKI BN125A8

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4554 of 5426 overall #563 of 592 KAWASAKIs #305 of 734 commuter bikes

72.3%

first-time pass rate

15.8%

failed outright

8,476

median miles at test

564

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2016

The BN125A8's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.2 points since 2009, 77.8% to 70.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the BN125A8's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage BN125A8 passes first time 78.4% of the time; by 20k that's 59.1%.

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 BN125A8

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	81	36.8	2.0×
drive system	34	15.5	5.9×
lighting and signalling	29	13.2	1.0×
steering and suspension	19	8.6	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	13	5.9	0.7×
structure and attachments	12	5.5	2.3×
suspension	11	5	2.2×
fuel and exhaust	10	4.5	1.9×
tyres and wheels	6	2.7	0.4×
tyres	5	2.3	1.0×

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 BN125A8 beats 3 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 BN125A8.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (75.8% pass). Weakest: 2005 (68.8%).

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 BN125A8 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI BN125A8 reliable?

The KAWASAKI BN125A8 is about average for its class: 72.3% of its 564 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4554 of 5426 models.

What does a BN125A8 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 37% of all defects recorded against failed BN125A8 tests.

What is the best year of BN125A8 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (75.8%) and 2005 worst (68.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BN125A8 last?

The median BN125A8 shows 8,476 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 59.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.