YAMAHA XVS125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4347 of 5426 overall #327 of 409 YAMAHAs #245 of 734 commuter bikes

74.6%

first-time pass rate

16.9%

failed outright

11,854

median miles at test

11.3k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The XVS125's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.9 points since 2005, 82.0% to 74.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the XVS125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage XVS125 passes first time 83.1% of the time; by 40k that's 63.1%.

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 XVS125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,180	26.3	1.8×
lighting and signalling	854	19	1.3×
drive system	609	13.6	5.1×
tyres and wheels	565	12.6	2.2×
steering and suspension	509	11.3	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	243	5.4	0.8×
structure and attachments	233	5.2	2.0×
suspension	101	2.2	0.9×
reg plates and vin	100	2.2	1.3×
fuel and exhaust	98	2.2	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 XVS125 beats 4 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 XVS125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2003 (76.7% pass). Weakest: 2006 (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 XVS125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA XVS125 reliable?

The YAMAHA XVS125 is about average for its class: 74.6% of its 11,291 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4347 of 5426 models.

What does a XVS125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed XVS125 tests.

What is the best year of XVS125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (76.7%) and 2006 worst (64.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a XVS125 last?

The median XVS125 shows 11,854 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 63.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.