YAMAHA BWS 125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4095 of 5426 overall #295 of 409 YAMAHAs #189 of 734 commuter bikes

76.7%

first-time pass rate

15.9%

failed outright

11,132

median miles at test

2,975

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2013–2025

The BWS 125's first-time pass rate has risen 6.2 points since 2013, 81.1% to 87.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage BWS 125 passes first time 82.3% of the time; by 40k that's 69.1%.

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 125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	409	41.5	2.3×
lighting and signalling	138	14	0.8×
tyres and wheels	132	13.4	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	130	13.2	2.0×
tyres	72	7.3	3.2×
steering and suspension	40	4.1	0.4×
steering	27	2.7	1.9×
structure and attachments	22	2.2	0.9×
suspension	10	1	0.4×
Identification of the vehicle	5	0.5	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 125 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 125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (80.6% pass). Weakest: 2011 (75.7%).

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 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA BWS 125 reliable?

The YAMAHA BWS 125 is more reliable than average for its class: 76.7% of its 2,975 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 125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 42% of all defects recorded against failed BWS 125 tests.

What is the best year of BWS 125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (80.6%) and 2011 worst (75.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a BWS 125 last?

The median BWS 125 shows 11,132 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 69.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.