PIAGGIO VESPA

124cc Petrol Class 1

#3440 of 5426 overall #64 of 136 PIAGGIOs #183 of 412 scooter bikes

PIAGGIO VESPA — Photo: Livioandronico2013 · CC BY-SA 4.0

80.7%

first-time pass rate

12.2%

failed outright

10,023

median miles at test

287k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The VESPA's first-time pass rate has risen 8.6 points since 2005, 78.8% to 87.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage VESPA passes first time 85.0% of the time; by 50k that's 78.6%.

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 VESPA

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	21,314	28.7	1.2×
brakes	13,387	18	0.8×
steering and suspension	9,432	12.7	0.9×
tyres and wheels	9,128	12.3	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	7,415	10	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	4,403	5.9	1.8×
tyres	3,254	4.4	1.5×
body and structure	2,492	3.4	1.7×
structure and attachments	1,994	2.7	0.9×
reg plates and vin	1,496	2	0.8×

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 VESPA beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA PCX 125, HONDA Vision 110, YAMAHA NMAX 125).

HONDA PCX 125 81.1% pass · 88.6k tests HONDA Vision 110 78.2% pass · 50.6k tests YAMAHA NMAX 125 82.2% pass · 33.8k tests PIAGGIO PX 125 (VESPA) 81.0% pass · 33.2k 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 VESPA.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (93.1% pass). Weakest: 2000 (73.5%).

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.

PIAGGIO VESPA FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the PIAGGIO VESPA reliable?

The PIAGGIO VESPA is more reliable than average for its class: 80.7% of its 287,467 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3440 of 5426 models.

What does a VESPA fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 29% of all defects recorded against failed VESPA tests.

What is the best year of VESPA to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2020-registered examples do best (93.1%) and 2000 worst (73.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a VESPA last?

The median VESPA shows 10,023 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 78.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.