YAMAHA SR125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4569 of 5426 overall #350 of 409 YAMAHAs #311 of 734 commuter bikes

72.1%

first-time pass rate

18.1%

failed outright

16,561

median miles at test

31.0k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The SR125's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.5 points since 2005, 75.2% to 73.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the SR125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage SR125 passes first time 80.6% of the time; by 50k that's 64.9%.

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 SR125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	3,543	24.4	2.6×
lighting and signalling	3,395	23.4	1.8×
brakes	2,520	17.4	1.5×
drive system	1,567	10.8	4.9×
tyres and wheels	1,398	9.6	2.0×
lamps and reflectors	544	3.7	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	470	3.2	1.8×
structure and attachments	384	2.6	1.2×
body and structure	373	2.6	2.1×
reg plates and vin	319	2.2	1.7×

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 SR125 beats 2 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 SR125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2003 (77.1% pass). Weakest: 1984 (54.4%).

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 SR125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA SR125 reliable?

The YAMAHA SR125 is about average for its class: 72.1% of its 30,961 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4569 of 5426 models.

What does a SR125 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 24% of all defects recorded against failed SR125 tests.

What is the best year of SR125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (77.1%) and 1984 worst (54.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SR125 last?

The median SR125 shows 16,561 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 64.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.