Aprilia Leonardo 125 vs Honda CG125

The Aprilia Leonardo 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda CG125: 74.8% vs 72.2%, a 2.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Aprilia Leonardo 125	Honda CG125
First-time pass rate	74.8%	72.2%
Outright fail rate	18.9%	16.8%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.2 pts	+0.7 pts
Engine size	125cc	124cc
Rank among all models	#4324 of 5428	#4568 of 5428
Median miles at test	14,214	17,460
MOT tests analysed	2,069	89,345
Most common failure	steering and suspension	lighting and signalling

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	Aprilia Leonardo 125	Honda CG125
Lights & signalling	8.3%	10.0%
Steering & suspension	10.7%	7.2%
Brakes	6.7%	5.1%
Tyres & wheels	4.6%	4.6%
Structure & body	1.3%	1.9%
Drive system	0.2%	2.6%
Fuel & exhaust	1.3%	0.9%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Aprilia Leonardo 125	Honda CG125
2015	72.8%	70.9%
2016	74.3%	71.1%
2017	73.5%	72.7%
2018	76.0%	72.6%
2019	67.3%	71.8%
2020	81.0%	73.6%
2021	80.5%	73.9%
2022	72.5%	73.5%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Aprilia Leonardo 125	Honda CG125
0k-10k miles	79.4%	79.3%
10k-20k miles	74.1%	73.0%
20k-30k miles	73.8%	68.3%
30k-40k miles	66.7%	66.4%
40k-50k miles	65.9%	66.2%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

Aprilia Leonardo 125 vs Honda CG125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Aprilia Leonardo 125 or the Honda CG125?

The Aprilia Leonardo 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda CG125: 74.8% vs 72.2%, a 2.6-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Aprilia Leonardo 125 still comes out ahead: +4.2 points vs comparable bikes for the Aprilia Leonardo 125, +0.7 for the Honda CG125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Aprilia Leonardo 125 fail its MOT on most?

Steering & suspension: 10.7% of Aprilia Leonardo 125 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (8.3%).

What does the Honda CG125 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 10.0% of Honda CG125 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (7.2%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Aprilia Leonardo 125 or the Honda CG125?

They are level: at 40k-50k miles the Aprilia Leonardo 125 passes 65.9% first time and the Honda CG125 66.2%.

APRILIA LEONARDO 125 74.8% pass · 2,069 tests HONDA CG125 72.2% pass · 89.3k tests

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.