Vespa (douglas) Vespa vs Honda PCX 125

The Honda PCX 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Vespa (douglas) Vespa: 81.1% vs 80.1%, a 1.0-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Vespa (douglas) Vespa	Honda PCX 125
First-time pass rate	80.1%	81.1%
Outright fail rate	13.9%	12.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+0.2 pts	+8.2 pts
Engine size	123cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#3557 of 5428	#3358 of 5428
Median miles at test	14,859	16,405
MOT tests analysed	995	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	Vespa (douglas) Vespa	Honda PCX 125
Lights & signalling	10.1%	3.9%
Brakes	3.4%	6.7%
Steering & suspension	4.1%	4.4%
Tyres & wheels	1.8%	5.3%
Structure & body	1.1%	0.7%
Fuel & exhaust	0.2%	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	Vespa (douglas) Vespa	Honda PCX 125
2013	86.1%	85.2%
2014	84.4%	84.4%
2015	81.7%	83.5%
2016	82.9%	82.5%
2017	75.5%	80.5%
2018	80.6%	81.2%
2019	76.5%	79.9%
2021	70.6%	80.3%

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	Vespa (douglas) Vespa	Honda PCX 125
0k-10k miles	78.2%	88.4%
10k-20k miles	80.1%	79.3%
20k-30k miles	84.1%	78.0%
30k-40k miles	77.6%	77.0%

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

Vespa (douglas) Vespa vs Honda PCX 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Vespa (douglas) Vespa or the Honda PCX 125?

The Honda PCX 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Vespa (douglas) Vespa: 81.1% vs 80.1%, a 1.0-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda PCX 125 still comes out ahead: +0.2 points vs comparable bikes for the Vespa (douglas) Vespa, +8.2 for the Honda PCX 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Vespa (douglas) Vespa fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 10.1% of Vespa (douglas) Vespa MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (4.1%).

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 Vespa (douglas) Vespa or the Honda PCX 125?

They are level: at 30k-40k miles the Vespa (douglas) Vespa passes 77.6% first time and the Honda PCX 125 77.0%.

VESPA (DOUGLAS) VESPA 80.1% pass · 995 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.