YAMAHA BWS

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4095 of 5426 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

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%.

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%.

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	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 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 BWS.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (82.6% pass). Weakest: 1996 (59.6%).

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 #4095 of 5426 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 — mileage alone rarely kills one.