YAMAHA WR 125 R

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4995 of 5426 overall #391 of 409 YAMAHAs #515 of 734 commuter bikes

65.4%

first-time pass rate

23.1%

failed outright

12,322

median miles at test

3,824

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2012–2025

The WR 125 R's first-time pass rate has risen 4.2 points since 2012, 60.7% to 64.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the WR 125 R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage WR 125 R passes first time 72.3% of the time; by 40k that's 62.0%.

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 WR 125 R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	558	22.1	2.4×
lighting and signalling	465	18.4	1.9×
lamps and reflectors	414	16.4	4.0×
steering and suspension	235	9.3	1.4×
tyres and wheels	208	8.2	2.1×
structure and attachments	187	7.4	4.8×
drive system	171	6.8	4.3×
suspension	154	6.1	4.2×
tyres	77	3.1	2.4×
reg plates and vin	54	2.1	2.1×

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 WR 125 R 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 WR 125 R.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (66.3% pass). Weakest: 2009 (63.1%).

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 WR 125 R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA WR 125 R reliable?

The YAMAHA WR 125 R is less reliable than average for its class: 65.4% of its 3,824 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4995 of 5426 models.

What does a WR 125 R fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed WR 125 R tests.

What is the best year of WR 125 R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2013-registered examples do best (66.3%) and 2009 worst (63.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a WR 125 R last?

The median WR 125 R shows 12,322 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 62.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.