BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ NECO/ALEX ONE
Model report · 2005–2025

NECO ALEX ONE

125cc Petrol Class 1
#4523 of 5428 overall #4 of 5 NECOs #296 of 734 commuter bikes
72.7%
first-time pass rate
21.4%
failed outright
6,260
median miles at test
542
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-2.7pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2020–2025

The ALEX ONE's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.0 points since 2020, 83.9% to 78.9%.

55%72%90%2020: 83.9% pass (31 tests)2021: 60.4% pass (53 tests)2022: 76.7% pass (73 tests)2023: 67.3% pass (104 tests)2024: 70.3% pass (138 tests)2025: 78.9% pass (142 tests)20202025

What fails on a ALEX ONE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
99 32.4 2.7×
lamps and reflectors
73 23.9 6.0×
suspension
60 19.6 10.5×
structure and attachments
26 8.5 5.9×
steering
21 6.9 8.9×
tyres
19 6.2 4.6×
audible warning (Horn)
6 2 6.0×
Identification of the vehicle
2 0.7 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 ALEX ONE beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YBR 125, HONDA CG125, HONDA CBF125).

YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CG125 72.2% pass · 89.3k tests Compare head-to-head →
HONDA CBF125 73.3% pass · 84.4k tests Compare head-to-head →
GILERA RUNNER 70.8% pass · 69.9k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 ALEX ONE.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Alex One

More NECO models

other NECO bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
NECO ABRUZZI 70.3% pass · 599 tests
NECO ABRUZZI 125 73.1% pass · 387 tests
NECO GPX 50 75.4% pass · 309 tests
NECO GPX 73.6% pass · 201 tests
NECO AZZURO 125 73.6% pass · 197 tests
NECO LOLA 50 80.6% pass · 186 tests

See all NECO models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (76.9% pass). Weakest: 2019 (68.4%).

67%73%79%2017: 76.9% pass (65 tests)2018: 72.1% pass (122 tests)2019: 68.4% pass (95 tests)2020: 71.8% pass (117 tests)2021: 72.7% pass (110 tests)201720192021

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.

NECO ALEX ONE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the NECO ALEX ONE reliable?

The NECO ALEX ONE is about average for its class: 72.7% of its 542 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4523 of 5428 models.

What does a ALEX ONE fail its MOT on most?

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

What is the best year of ALEX ONE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2017-registered examples do best (76.9%) and 2019 worst (68.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

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