Honda CBF125 MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda CBF125 motorcycles pass the MOT 70.45% of the time, measured across 335 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.76% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 16.4 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 70.45% 236 of 335
Fixed at the station 7.76% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 19,815 miles
Average age at test 13.13 years old
Engine 125cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Honda CBF125 adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

  • Start with not working - it accounts for 42.5% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check excessively binding and insecure, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 79.66% of 6-10 year old examples pass, against 45.71% at 16+ years - a gap of 33.9 points.
  • The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (7.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 19,815 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test Pass rate   Tests
6-10 years 79.66% 59
11-15 years 71% 231
16+ years 45.71% 35

Why the Honda CBF125 fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

# Item Of failures   Tests
1 Not working 42.5% 31
2 Excessively binding 20.5% 15
3 Insecure 19.2% 14
4 Missing 19.2% 14
5 Has a serious fluid leak 15.1% 11
6 Excessively loose 13.7% 10
7 Excessively stiff or notchy 11% 8
8 Horseshoe locking device incorrectly fitted 9.6% 7
9 Less than 1.0 mm thick 8.2% 6
10 Not working on dipped beam 8.2% 6

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

# Item Of all tests   Tests
1 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 7.5% 25
2 Excessively loose 6.9% 23
3 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 6.9% 23
4 Corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced 6.6% 22
5 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 6.6% 22
6 Worn to excess 6% 20
7 Excessively deformed 5.7% 19
8 Excessively stiff or notchy 5.4% 18
9 Excessively binding 5.1% 17
10 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3.9% 13

Honda CBF125 for sale

No Honda CBF125 in stock at the moment - 73 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model Tests Pass rate   Avg mileage
Yamaha GPD125-A NMAX 125 · 125cc 8,762 80.8% 45,039
Piaggio VESPA 79-210cc · 79-210cc 8,363 85.42% 11,710
Honda WW · 125cc 7,252 80.32% 40,134
Honda WW 125 A-M · 125cc 5,011 84.06% 29,846
Honda GLR · 125cc 4,737 79.99% 14,642
Honda CBF 100-125cc · 100-125cc 3,204 77% 15,203

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Honda CBF125 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CBF125?+
70.45% of Honda CBF125 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 335 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda CBF125?+
Not working, which appears in 42.5% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Honda CBF125 get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 45.71%, against 79.66% for examples 6-10 years old.
Where does this data come from?+
From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.
Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+
Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.
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