MZ ETZ125

123cc Petrol Class 1

#3963 of 5426 overall #16 of 20 MZs #164 of 734 commuter bikes

77.6%

first-time pass rate

13.5%

failed outright

17,901

median miles at test

1,000

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The ETZ125's first-time pass rate has risen 11.7 points since 2006, 82.1% to 93.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ETZ125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage ETZ125 passes first time 79.4% of the time; by 50k that's 70.2%.

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 ETZ125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	104	32.5	1.7×
brakes	73	22.8	1.3×
steering and suspension	58	18.1	1.4×
tyres and wheels	35	10.9	1.6×
body and structure	17	5.3	2.9×
fuel and exhaust	14	4.4	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	8	2.5	0.4×
driving controls	4	1.2	1.3×
suspension	4	1.2	0.5×
Items Not Tested	3	0.9	3.3×

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 ETZ125 beats 4 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 ETZ125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1987 (82.2% pass). Weakest: 1992 (68.2%).

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.

MZ ETZ125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MZ ETZ125 reliable?

The MZ ETZ125 is more reliable than average for its class: 77.6% of its 1,000 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3963 of 5426 models.

What does a ETZ125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed ETZ125 tests.

What is the best year of ETZ125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1987-registered examples do best (82.2%) and 1992 worst (68.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ETZ125 last?

The median ETZ125 shows 17,901 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 70.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.