YAMAHA XQ125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4911 of 5426 overall #385 of 409 YAMAHAs #473 of 734 commuter bikes

66.9%

first-time pass rate

24.9%

failed outright

11,294

median miles at test

2,956

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2019

The XQ125's first-time pass rate has risen 2.7 points since 2005, 71.6% to 74.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XQ125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XQ125 passes first time 71.3% of the time; by 40k that's 59.3%.

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 XQ125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	650	32.7	3.4×
steering and suspension	554	27.8	4.1×
brakes	431	21.7	2.4×
tyres and wheels	196	9.8	2.9×
body and structure	55	2.8	3.3×
fuel and exhaust	32	1.6	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	30	1.5	0.4×
suspension	24	1.2	0.8×
reg plates and vin	10	0.5	0.6×
steering	8	0.4	0.5×

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 XQ125 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 XQ125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (68.5% pass). Weakest: 2002 (64.7%).

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 XQ125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XQ125 reliable?

The YAMAHA XQ125 is less reliable than average for its class: 66.9% of its 2,956 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4911 of 5426 models.

What does a XQ125 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed XQ125 tests.

What is the best year of XQ125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (68.5%) and 2002 worst (64.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XQ125 last?

The median XQ125 shows 11,294 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 59.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.