BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ Piaggio FLY 125/vs Yamaha Nmax 125
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Piaggio FLY 125 vs Yamaha Nmax 125

The Yamaha Nmax 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Piaggio FLY 125: 82.2% vs 70.4%, a 11.8-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric Piaggio FLY 125 Yamaha Nmax 125
First-time pass rate 70.4% 82.2%
Outright fail rate 20.1% 11.4%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) -0.4 pts +9.5 pts
Engine size 124cc 125cc
Rank among all models #4699 of 5428 #3145 of 5428
Median miles at test 12,362 30,236
MOT tests analysed 6,444 33,779
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 FLY 125 Yamaha Nmax 125
Lights & signalling 11.8% 4.2%
Steering & suspension 7.5% 5.0%
Brakes 6.0% 5.3%
Tyres & wheels 6.8% 3.7%
Structure & body 1.4% 0.6%
Fuel & exhaust 1.4% 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 FLY 125 Yamaha Nmax 125
2018 76.1% 86.3%
2019 66.7% 84.9%
2020 73.3% 88.4%
2021 71.2% 84.9%
2022 74.4% 83.5%
2023 71.1% 81.5%
2024 70.2% 79.8%
2025 73.3% 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 Piaggio FLY 125 Yamaha Nmax 125
0k-10k miles 76.2% 90.9%
10k-20k miles 68.4% 84.2%
20k-30k miles 64.0% 81.9%
30k-40k miles 64.8% 79.2%
40k-50k miles 61.0% 79.8%
50k-60k miles 67.4% 79.1%

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

Piaggio FLY 125 vs Yamaha Nmax 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Piaggio FLY 125 or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

The Yamaha Nmax 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Piaggio FLY 125: 82.2% vs 70.4%, a 11.8-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Yamaha Nmax 125 still comes out ahead: -0.4 points vs comparable bikes for the Piaggio FLY 125, +9.5 for the Yamaha Nmax 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Piaggio FLY 125 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 11.8% of Piaggio FLY 125 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (7.5%).

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 Piaggio FLY 125 or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

At 50k-60k miles the Yamaha Nmax 125 passes first time more often: 67.4% for the Piaggio FLY 125 vs 79.1% for the Yamaha Nmax 125.

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