Direct Bikes DB125T vs Honda CBF125

The Honda CBF125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Direct Bikes DB125T: 73.3% vs 62.5%, a 10.8-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Direct Bikes DB125T	Honda CBF125
First-time pass rate	62.5%	73.3%
Outright fail rate	27.6%	16.5%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	-13.1 pts	+1.1 pts
Engine size	125cc	125cc
Median miles at test	4,140	10,974
MOT tests analysed	152	84,425
Most common failure	steering and suspension	brakes

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.

Pass rate by mileage

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

Mileage	Direct Bikes DB125T	Honda CBF125
0k-10k miles	65.8%	80.3%
10k-20k miles	50.0%	68.7%

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

DIRECT BIKES DB125T 62.5% pass · 152 tests HONDA CBF125 73.3% pass · 84.4k tests

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