BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ YAMAHA/BWS
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

YAMAHA BWS

124cc Petrol Class 1
#4096 of 5428 overall #295 of 409 YAMAHAs #189 of 734 commuter bikes
76.7%
first-time pass rate
17.1%
failed outright
8,646
median miles at test
1,487
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+3.1pp
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 · 2006–2025

The BWS's first-time pass rate has risen 13.1 points since 2006, 80.7% to 93.8%.

34%67%100%2006: 80.7% pass (83 tests)2007: 72.9% pass (48 tests)2008: 72.0% pass (50 tests)2009: 81.3% pass (48 tests)2010: 70.0% pass (40 tests)2011: 46.2% pass (39 tests)2012: 71.9% pass (32 tests)2013: 71.1% pass (45 tests)2014: 71.8% pass (71 tests)2015: 80.3% pass (61 tests)2016: 69.6% pass (69 tests)2017: 77.5% pass (138 tests)2018: 70.3% pass (101 tests)2019: 81.6% pass (103 tests)2020: 78.3% pass (106 tests)2021: 80.4% pass (102 tests)2022: 82.4% pass (102 tests)2023: 82.7% pass (98 tests)2024: 71.4% pass (70 tests)2025: 93.8% pass (64 tests)20062025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BWS passes first time 78.4% of the time; by 30k that's 66.7%.

64%73%81%0k: 78.4% pass (881 tests)10k: 75.8% pass (359 tests)20k: 73.7% pass (156 tests)30k: 66.7% pass (54 tests)0k20k30k

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 BWS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
140 25.7 1.7×
lighting and signalling
134 24.6 1.4×
lamps and reflectors
82 15 2.2×
steering and suspension
72 13.2 1.3×
tyres and wheels
41 7.5 1.1×
tyres
29 5.3 2.6×
steering
15 2.8 2.1×
fuel and exhaust
13 2.4 1.2×
body and structure
12 2.2 1.7×
structure and attachments
7 1.3 0.7×

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 BWS beats 4 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 BWS.

Compare with any bike

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

More YAMAHA models

other YAMAHA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
YAMAHA YZF-R1 84.1% pass · 232k tests
YAMAHA YZF-R6 79.0% pass · 155k tests
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests
YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests
YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k tests
YAMAHA FZ6 85.2% pass · 67.1k tests

See all YAMAHA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 2010 (82.6%). Lowest: 1996 (59.6%). Every BWS year compared →

55%71%87%1990: 67.8% pass (90 tests)1991: 73.8% pass (65 tests)1992: 81.5% pass (65 tests)1996: 59.6% pass (52 tests)1997: 70.2% pass (57 tests)2010: 82.6% pass (86 tests)2011: 78.7% pass (197 tests)2012: 76.2% pass (84 tests)2013: 75.7% pass (144 tests)2014: 81.1% pass (301 tests)2015: 80.3% pass (71 tests)199020102015

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 BWS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA BWS reliable?

The YAMAHA BWS is more reliable than average for its class: 76.7% of its 1,487 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4096 of 5428 models.

What does a BWS fail its MOT on most?

brakes: 26% of all defects recorded against failed BWS tests.

What is the best year of BWS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (82.6%) and 1996 worst (59.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BWS last?

The median BWS shows 8,646 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 66.7% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

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