Lambretta V-125 Special E5 vs Piaggio Vespa

The Lambretta V-125 Special E5 passes its MOT first time more often than the Piaggio Vespa: 85.8% vs 80.7%, a 5.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Lambretta V-125 Special E5	Piaggio Vespa
First-time pass rate	85.8%	80.7%
Outright fail rate	9.3%	12.2%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+6.9 pts	+5.9 pts
Engine size	125cc	124cc
Rank among all models	#2266 of 5428	#3439 of 5428
Median miles at test	2,030	10,023
MOT tests analysed	281	287,482
Most common failure	brakes	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.

LAMBRETTA V-125 SPECIAL E5 85.8% pass · 281 tests PIAGGIO VESPA 80.7% pass · 287k tests

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