Lambretta Special vs Yamaha Nmax 125

The Lambretta Special passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha Nmax 125: 86.8% vs 82.2%, a 4.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Lambretta Special	Yamaha Nmax 125
First-time pass rate	86.8%	82.2%
Outright fail rate	5.5%	11.4%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+5.7 pts	+9.5 pts
Engine size	125cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#1962 of 5428	#3145 of 5428
Median miles at test	2,460	30,236
MOT tests analysed	885	33,779
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.

What fails, side by side

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

Component	Lambretta Special	Yamaha Nmax 125
Steering & suspension	2.9%	5.0%
Brakes	2.1%	5.3%
Lights & signalling	1.7%	4.2%
Tyres & wheels	0.7%	3.7%
Structure & body	0.3%	0.6%
Fuel & exhaust	0.1%	0%

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 mileage

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

Mileage	Lambretta Special	Yamaha Nmax 125
0k-10k miles	86.7%	90.9%
10k-20k miles	88.4%	84.2%
20k-30k miles	81.3%	81.9%
30k-40k miles	91.2%	79.2%

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

Lambretta Special vs Yamaha Nmax 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Lambretta Special or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

The Lambretta Special passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha Nmax 125: 86.8% vs 82.2%, a 4.6-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Yamaha Nmax 125 still comes out ahead: +5.7 points vs comparable bikes for the Lambretta Special, +9.5 for the Yamaha Nmax 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Lambretta Special fail its MOT on most?

Steering & suspension: 2.9% of Lambretta Special MOT tests failed on it, then brakes (2.1%).

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 Lambretta Special or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

At 30k-40k miles the Lambretta Special passes first time more often: 91.2% for the Lambretta Special vs 79.2% for the Yamaha Nmax 125.

LAMBRETTA SPECIAL 86.8% pass · 885 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.