Honda MSX 125 A-M MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda MSX 125 A-M motorcycles pass the MOT 88.91% of the time, measured across 586 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.44% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 88.91% 521 of 586
Fixed at the station 4.44% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 4,481 miles
Average age at test 3.59 years old
Engine 124cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Honda MSX 125 A-M adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with missing - it accounts for 43.6% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check excessively loose and obviously incorrectly positioned, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (5.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 4,481 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
3-5 years 88.91% 586

Why the Honda MSX 125 A-M 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 Missing 43.6% 17
2 Excessively loose 30.8% 12
3 Obviously incorrectly positioned 23.1% 9
4 Too low 15.4% 6
5 Does not conform to the specified requirements 12.8% 5
6 Excessively binding 12.8% 5
7 Has excessive play 12.8% 5
8 Not working 12.8% 5
9 Adversely affected by the operation of another lamp 10.3% 4
10 Control functioning such that safe operation of the motorcycle is adversely affected 7.7% 3

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 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 5.8% 34
2 Excessively loose 4.9% 29
3 Worn to excess 1.5% 9
4 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 1.4% 8
5 Excessively binding 1.2% 7
6 Excessively stiff or notchy 1.2% 7
7 Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied 0.9% 5
8 Excessively deformed 0.7% 4
9 Less than 1.0 mm thick 0.7% 4
10 Tread not clearly visible 0.7% 4

Honda MSX 125 A-M for sale

No Honda MSX 125 A-M in stock at the moment - 74 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 MSX 125 A-M MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda MSX 125 A-M?+
88.91% of Honda MSX 125 A-M MOT tests end in a pass, based on 586 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda MSX 125 A-M?+
Missing, which appears in 43.6% of failed tests on this model.
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.
Top