YAMAHA YZF-R125

124cc Petrol Class 1

#4851 of 5426 overall #380 of 409 YAMAHAs #215 of 226 sport bikes

YAMAHA YZF-R125 — Photo: oskuro The original uploader was Pa91 at Italian Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0

68.0%

first-time pass rate

21.6%

failed outright

13,002

median miles at test

63.7k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2010–2025

The YZF-R125's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.4 points since 2010, 71.4% to 67.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the YZF-R125's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage YZF-R125 passes first time 76.2% of the time; by 50k that's 56.0%.

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 YZF-R125

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	9,314	24.2	2.3×
lamps and reflectors	7,472	19.4	4.5×
structure and attachments	5,241	13.6	7.9×
lighting and signalling	4,456	11.6	1.1×
suspension	2,717	7.1	4.5×
steering and suspension	2,236	5.8	0.9×
drive system	2,136	5.6	3.5×
tyres and wheels	1,674	4.4	1.1×
tyres	1,596	4.2	3.2×
steering	1,577	4.1	4.9×

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 YZF-R125 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA CBR125R, HONDA CBR125R, HONDA CBR 125 R-4).

HONDA CBR125R 66.8% pass · 26.5k tests HONDA CBR125R 66.8% pass · 26.5k tests HONDA CBR 125 R-4 65.1% pass · 6,736 tests HONDA CBR 125 R-4 65.1% pass · 6,736 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 YZF-R125.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2020 (79.6% pass). Weakest: 2008 (65.2%).

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 YZF-R125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA YZF-R125 reliable?

The YAMAHA YZF-R125 is less reliable than average for its class: 68.0% of its 63,718 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #4851 of 5426 models.

What does a YZF-R125 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 24% of all defects recorded against failed YZF-R125 tests.

What is the best year of YZF-R125 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2020-registered examples do best (79.6%) and 2009 worst (65.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a YZF-R125 last?

The median YZF-R125 shows 13,002 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 56.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.