YAMAHA YS 125

125cc Petrol Class 1

#4160 of 5426 overall #304 of 409 YAMAHAs #202 of 734 commuter bikes

76.2%

first-time pass rate

11.9%

failed outright

7,428

median miles at test

7,059

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2020–2025

The YS 125's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.3 points since 2020, 84.5% to 75.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage YS 125 passes first time 79.9% of the time; by 40k that's 56.8%.

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 YS 125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	604	29.4	3.9×
brakes	457	22.2	1.0×
structure and attachments	386	18.8	6.0×
tyres	311	15.1	5.9×
steering	167	8.1	4.5×
suspension	78	3.8	1.3×
audible warning (Horn)	25	1.2	1.9×
Identification of the vehicle	16	0.8	1.0×
wheels	13	0.6	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 YS 125 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 YS 125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (76.6% pass). Weakest: 2021 (75.0%).

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 YS 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA YS 125 reliable?

The YAMAHA YS 125 is more reliable than average for its class: 76.2% of its 7,059 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4160 of 5426 models.

What does a YS 125 fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 29% of all defects recorded against failed YS 125 tests.

What is the best year of YS 125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2018-registered examples do best (76.6%) and 2021 worst (75.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a YS 125 last?

The median YS 125 shows 7,428 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 56.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.