YAMAHA HW

124cc Petrol Class 1

#3440 of 5426 overall #223 of 409 YAMAHAs #83 of 734 commuter bikes

80.7%

first-time pass rate

14.7%

failed outright

12,347

median miles at test

1,068

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2017–2025

The HW's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.3 points since 2017, 84.3% to 82.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage HW passes first time 85.9% of the time; by 40k that's 74.5%.

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 HW

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	154	43.4	2.3×
lamps and reflectors	53	14.9	2.1×
tyres	45	12.7	5.1×
suspension	44	12.4	4.3×
tyres and wheels	19	5.4	0.8×
steering	12	3.4	2.0×
steering and suspension	8	2.3	0.2×
lighting and signalling	8	2.3	0.1×
structure and attachments	7	2	1.0×
Identification of the vehicle	5	1.4	2.0×

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 HW 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 HW.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2015 (83.7% pass). Weakest: 2013 (77.9%).

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 HW FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA HW reliable?

The YAMAHA HW is more reliable than average for its class: 80.7% of its 1,068 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3440 of 5426 models.

What does a HW fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 43% of all defects recorded against failed HW tests.

What is the best year of HW to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2015-registered examples do best (83.7%) and 2013 worst (77.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a HW last?

The median HW shows 12,347 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 74.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.