Yamaha Nmax 125 vs Honda PCX 125

The Yamaha Nmax 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda PCX 125: 82.2% vs 81.1%, a 1.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Yamaha Nmax 125	Honda PCX 125
First-time pass rate	82.2%	81.1%
Outright fail rate	11.4%	12.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+9.5 pts	+8.2 pts
Engine size	125cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#3145 of 5428	#3358 of 5428
Median miles at test	30,236	16,405
MOT tests analysed	33,779	88,608
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	Yamaha Nmax 125	Honda PCX 125
Brakes	5.3%	6.7%
Steering & suspension	5.0%	4.4%
Tyres & wheels	3.7%	5.3%
Lights & signalling	4.2%	3.9%
Structure & body	0.6%	0.7%

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	Yamaha Nmax 125	Honda PCX 125
2018	86.3%	81.2%
2019	84.9%	79.9%
2020	88.4%	82.3%
2021	84.9%	80.3%
2022	83.5%	80.3%
2023	81.5%	80.2%
2024	79.8%	80.9%
2025	80.8%	81.6%

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	Yamaha Nmax 125	Honda PCX 125
0k-10k miles	90.9%	88.4%
10k-20k miles	84.2%	79.3%
20k-30k miles	81.9%	78.0%
30k-40k miles	79.2%	77.0%
40k-50k miles	79.8%	74.8%
50k-60k miles	79.1%	75.8%

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

Yamaha Nmax 125 vs Honda PCX 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Yamaha Nmax 125 or the Honda PCX 125?

The Yamaha Nmax 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda PCX 125: 82.2% vs 81.1%, a 1.1-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Yamaha Nmax 125 still comes out ahead: +9.5 points vs comparable bikes for the Yamaha Nmax 125, +8.2 for the Honda PCX 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

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%).

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 Yamaha Nmax 125 or the Honda PCX 125?

At 50k-60k miles the Yamaha Nmax 125 passes first time more often: 79.1% for the Yamaha Nmax 125 vs 75.8% for the Honda PCX 125.

YAMAHA NMAX 125 82.2% pass · 33.8k 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.