YAMAHA MW

125cc Petrol Class 1

#2768 of 5426 overall #156 of 409 YAMAHAs #37 of 734 commuter bikes

83.9%

first-time pass rate

12.6%

failed outright

11,611

median miles at test

2,638

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The MW's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.5 points since 2017, 85.7% to 82.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage MW passes first time 89.9% of the time; by 50k that's 63.6%.

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 MW

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	248	36.8	1.4×
tyres	186	27.6	8.2×
suspension	63	9.3	2.6×
lamps and reflectors	63	9.3	1.2×
steering	47	7	3.6×
structure and attachments	45	6.7	2.0×
audible warning (Horn)	8	1.2	1.7×
tyres and wheels	6	0.9	0.1×
lighting and signalling	4	0.6	—
steering and suspension	4	0.6	—

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 MW 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 MW.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (86.0% pass). Weakest: 2014 (82.4%).

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 MW FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA MW reliable?

The YAMAHA MW is more reliable than average for its class: 83.9% of its 2,638 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2768 of 5426 models.

What does a MW fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 37% of all defects recorded against failed MW tests.

What is the best year of MW to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2017-registered examples do best (86.0%) and 2014 worst (82.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a MW last?

The median MW shows 11,611 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 63.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.