YAMAHA WR125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#5133 of 5426 overall #399 of 409 YAMAHAs #582 of 734 commuter bikes

62.4%

first-time pass rate

24.7%

failed outright

13,109

median miles at test

956

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The WR125's first-time pass rate has risen 18.1 points since 2012, 57.6% to 75.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the WR125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage WR125 passes first time 70.2% of the time; by 30k that's 60.3%.

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 WR125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	145	22.3	2.8×
lighting and signalling	129	19.8	2.4×
lamps and reflectors	118	18.1	4.1×
steering and suspension	54	8.3	1.5×
drive system	54	8.3	5.1×
structure and attachments	51	7.8	5.3×
tyres and wheels	35	5.4	1.3×
suspension	33	5.1	3.5×
reg plates and vin	16	2.5	2.2×
steering	16	2.5	2.8×

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 WR125 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 WR125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2012 (64.5% pass). Weakest: 2011 (57.8%).

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 WR125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA WR125 reliable?

The YAMAHA WR125 is less reliable than average for its class: 62.4% of its 956 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5133 of 5426 models.

What does a WR125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 22% of all defects recorded against failed WR125 tests.

What is the best year of WR125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2012-registered examples do best (64.5%) and 2011 worst (57.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a WR125 last?

The median WR125 shows 13,109 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 60.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.