YAMAHA RD125

123cc Petrol Class 1

#4230 of 5426 overall #314 of 409 YAMAHAs #215 of 734 commuter bikes

75.6%

first-time pass rate

14.1%

failed outright

20,964

median miles at test

3,300

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The RD125's first-time pass rate has risen 16.4 points since 2005, 68.8% to 85.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the RD125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage RD125 passes first time 82.4% of the time; by 50k that's 70.9%.

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 RD125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	594	36	2.1×
steering and suspension	402	24.4	2.4×
brakes	217	13.2	1.1×
body and structure	96	5.8	3.9×
tyres and wheels	93	5.6	1.2×
drive system	89	5.4	2.9×
lamps and reflectors	64	3.9	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	41	2.5	1.6×
suspension	27	1.6	0.9×
driving controls	26	1.6	3.4×

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 RD125 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 RD125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1977 (86.5% pass). Weakest: 1988 (69.8%).

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 RD125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA RD125 reliable?

The YAMAHA RD125 is more reliable than average for its class: 75.6% of its 3,300 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4230 of 5426 models.

What does a RD125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 36% of all defects recorded against failed RD125 tests.

What is the best year of RD125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1977-registered examples do best (86.5%) and 1988 worst (69.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RD125 last?

The median RD125 shows 20,964 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 70.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.