Piaggio Medley vs Yamaha Nmax 125

The Piaggio Medley passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha Nmax 125: 84.1% vs 82.2%, a 1.9-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Piaggio Medley	Yamaha Nmax 125
First-time pass rate	84.1%	82.2%
Outright fail rate	10.8%	11.4%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+11.1 pts	+9.5 pts
Engine size	125cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#2721 of 5428	#3145 of 5428
Median miles at test	9,868	30,236
MOT tests analysed	2,115	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	Piaggio Medley	Yamaha Nmax 125
Brakes	5.7%	5.3%
Steering & suspension	4.0%	5.0%
Tyres & wheels	4.1%	3.7%
Lights & signalling	3.2%	4.2%
Structure & body	0.6%	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	Piaggio Medley	Yamaha Nmax 125
2020	90.5%	88.4%
2021	80.3%	84.9%
2022	85.1%	83.5%
2023	84.0%	81.5%
2024	82.3%	79.8%
2025	82.7%	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 Medley	Yamaha Nmax 125
0k-10k miles	89.8%	90.9%
10k-20k miles	81.1%	84.2%
20k-30k miles	74.1%	81.9%
30k-40k miles	70.4%	79.2%
40k-50k miles	70.7%	79.8%

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

Piaggio Medley vs Yamaha Nmax 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

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

The Piaggio Medley passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha Nmax 125: 84.1% vs 82.2%, a 1.9-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Piaggio Medley still comes out ahead: +11.1 points vs comparable bikes for the Piaggio Medley, +9.5 for the Yamaha Nmax 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Piaggio Medley fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 5.7% of Piaggio Medley MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (4.1%).

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 Piaggio Medley or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

At 40k-50k miles the Yamaha Nmax 125 passes first time more often: 70.7% for the Piaggio Medley vs 79.8% for the Yamaha Nmax 125.

PIAGGIO MEDLEY 84.1% pass · 2,115 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.