BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ Piaggio T5/vs Yamaha Nmax 125
Head-to-head · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

Piaggio T5 vs Yamaha Nmax 125

The Yamaha Nmax 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Piaggio T5: 82.2% vs 81.2%, a 1.0-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025
Metric Piaggio T5 Yamaha Nmax 125
First-time pass rate 81.2% 82.2%
Outright fail rate 11.7% 11.4%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted) +6.6 pts +9.5 pts
Engine size 124cc 125cc
Rank among all models #3336 of 5428 #3145 of 5428
Median miles at test 11,686 30,236
MOT tests analysed 21,907 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 T5 Yamaha Nmax 125
Lights & signalling 7.2% 4.2%
Steering & suspension 4.0% 5.0%
Brakes 2.9% 5.3%
Tyres & wheels 2.5% 3.7%
Structure & body 0.7% 0.6%
Fuel & exhaust 0.6% 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 T5 Yamaha Nmax 125
2018 87.0% 86.3%
2019 84.6% 84.9%
2020 84.2% 88.4%
2021 86.3% 84.9%
2022 84.5% 83.5%
2023 84.6% 81.5%
2024 87.4% 79.8%
2025 88.5% 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 T5 Yamaha Nmax 125
0k-10k miles 82.7% 90.9%
10k-20k miles 80.3% 84.2%
20k-30k miles 79.3% 81.9%
30k-40k miles 80.8% 79.2%
40k-50k miles 86.5% 79.8%
50k-60k miles 79.8% 79.1%

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

Piaggio T5 vs Yamaha Nmax 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Piaggio T5 or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

The Yamaha Nmax 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Piaggio T5: 82.2% vs 81.2%, a 1.0-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Yamaha Nmax 125 still comes out ahead: +6.6 points vs comparable bikes for the Piaggio T5, +9.5 for the Yamaha Nmax 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Piaggio T5 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 7.2% of Piaggio T5 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (4.0%).

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 T5 or the Yamaha Nmax 125?

They are level: at 50k-60k miles the Piaggio T5 passes 79.8% first time and the Yamaha Nmax 125 79.1%.

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