Piaggio ET4 vs Honda PCX 125

The Honda PCX 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Piaggio ET4: 81.1% vs 74.3%, a 6.8-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Piaggio ET4	Honda PCX 125
First-time pass rate	74.3%	81.1%
Outright fail rate	16.8%	12.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+2.8 pts	+8.2 pts
Engine size	124cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#4371 of 5428	#3358 of 5428
Median miles at test	11,927	16,405
MOT tests analysed	987	88,608
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	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	Piaggio ET4	Honda PCX 125
Lights & signalling	9.2%	3.9%
Brakes	5.4%	6.7%
Tyres & wheels	6.7%	5.3%
Steering & suspension	6.0%	4.4%
Structure & body	1.6%	0.7%
Fuel & exhaust	1.8%	0.0%

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 test year

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

Test year	Piaggio ET4	Honda PCX 125
2013	77.2%	85.2%
2014	70.6%	84.4%
2015	74.6%	83.5%
2016	70.2%	82.5%
2017	83.7%	80.5%
2018	71.9%	81.2%

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	Piaggio ET4	Honda PCX 125
0k-10k miles	79.7%	88.4%
10k-20k miles	71.5%	79.3%
20k-30k miles	71.3%	78.0%
30k-40k miles	65.1%	77.0%

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

Piaggio ET4 vs Honda PCX 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Piaggio ET4 or the Honda PCX 125?

The Honda PCX 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Piaggio ET4: 81.1% vs 74.3%, a 6.8-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda PCX 125 still comes out ahead: +2.8 points vs comparable bikes for the Piaggio ET4, +8.2 for the Honda PCX 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Piaggio ET4 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 9.2% of Piaggio ET4 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (6.7%).

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

Brakes: 6.7% of Honda PCX 125 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (5.3%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Piaggio ET4 or the Honda PCX 125?

At 30k-40k miles the Honda PCX 125 passes first time more often: 65.1% for the Piaggio ET4 vs 77.0% for the Honda PCX 125.

PIAGGIO ET4 74.3% pass · 987 tests HONDA PCX 125 81.1% pass · 88.6k tests

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