Honda Forza 125 vs Yamaha Nmax 125

The Honda Forza 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha Nmax 125: 86.5% vs 82.2%, a 4.3-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Honda Forza 125	Yamaha Nmax 125
First-time pass rate	86.5%	82.2%
Outright fail rate	9.4%	11.4%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+12.9 pts	+9.5 pts
Engine size	125cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#2052 of 5428	#3145 of 5428
Median miles at test	20,000	30,236
MOT tests analysed	15,647	33,779
Most common failure	brakes	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.

What fails, side by side

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

Component	Honda Forza 125	Yamaha Nmax 125
Brakes	4.1%	5.3%
Steering & suspension	3.3%	5.0%
Tyres & wheels	3.4%	3.7%
Lights & signalling	2.0%	4.2%
Structure & body	0.4%	0.6%

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	Honda Forza 125	Yamaha Nmax 125
2018	86.1%	86.3%
2019	83.4%	84.9%
2020	88.7%	88.4%
2021	86.9%	84.9%
2022	86.8%	83.5%
2023	86.5%	81.5%
2024	84.9%	79.8%
2025	87.0%	80.8%

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	Honda Forza 125	Yamaha Nmax 125
0k-10k miles	93.2%	90.9%
10k-20k miles	86.0%	84.2%
20k-30k miles	84.1%	81.9%
30k-40k miles	85.1%	79.2%
40k-50k miles	82.0%	79.8%
50k-60k miles	83.4%	79.1%

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

Honda Forza 125 vs Yamaha Nmax 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Honda Forza 125 or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

The Honda Forza 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha Nmax 125: 86.5% vs 82.2%, a 4.3-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda Forza 125 still comes out ahead: +12.9 points vs comparable bikes for the Honda Forza 125, +9.5 for the Yamaha Nmax 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Honda Forza 125 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 4.1% of Honda Forza 125 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (3.4%).

What does the Yamaha Nmax 125 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 5.3% of Yamaha Nmax 125 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (5.0%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Honda Forza 125 or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

At 50k-60k miles the Honda Forza 125 passes first time more often: 83.4% for the Honda Forza 125 vs 79.1% for the Yamaha Nmax 125.

HONDA Forza 125 86.5% pass · 15.6k tests YAMAHA NMAX 125 82.2% pass · 33.8k tests

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