YAMAHA 125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4629 of 5426 overall #353 of 409 YAMAHAs #326 of 734 commuter bikes

71.3%

first-time pass rate

19.4%

failed outright

18,341

median miles at test

649

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The 125's first-time pass rate has fallen 16.3 points since 2006, 77.8% to 61.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the 125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage 125 passes first time 75.6% of the time; by 30k 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 125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	123	33.5	2.4×
steering and suspension	78	21.3	2.7×
brakes	52	14.2	1.3×
tyres and wheels	39	10.6	2.5×
drive system	25	6.8	3.8×
body and structure	12	3.3	2.9×
fuel and exhaust	12	3.3	2.0×
reg plates and vin	10	2.7	2.4×
lamps and reflectors	10	2.7	0.9×
structure and attachments	6	1.6	1.1×

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 125 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 125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1992 (70.4% pass). Weakest: 1992 (70.4%).

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.

YAMAHA 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA 125 reliable?

The YAMAHA 125 is less reliable than average for its class: 71.3% of its 649 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4629 of 5426 models.

What does a 125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 34% of all defects recorded against failed 125 tests.

How many miles will a 125 last?

The median 125 shows 18,341 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 70.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.