YAMAHA TZR

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4729 of 5426 overall #364 of 409 YAMAHAs #377 of 734 commuter bikes

70.1%

first-time pass rate

20.1%

failed outright

21,209

median miles at test

1,067

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The TZR's first-time pass rate has risen 8.0 points since 2006, 72.0% to 80.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage TZR passes first time 77.4% of the time; by 40k that's 64.1%.

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 TZR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	293	34.2	3.1×
steering and suspension	214	25	3.6×
brakes	119	13.9	1.7×
drive system	65	7.6	6.0×
tyres and wheels	54	6.3	2.0×
body and structure	42	4.9	6.4×
fuel and exhaust	20	2.3	2.3×
lamps and reflectors	20	2.3	0.7×
reg plates and vin	17	2	2.8×
structure and attachments	12	1.4	1.0×

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 TZR beats 0 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 TZR.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1992 (77.9% pass). Weakest: 1988 (68.2%).

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 TZR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA TZR reliable?

The YAMAHA TZR is less reliable than average for its class: 70.1% of its 1,067 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4729 of 5426 models.

What does a TZR fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 34% of all defects recorded against failed TZR tests.

What is the best year of TZR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1992-registered examples do best (77.9%) and 1988 worst (68.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TZR last?

The median TZR shows 21,209 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 64.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.