Honda SES125 MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda SES125 motorcycles pass the MOT 82.07% of the time, measured across 290 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.14% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 4.8 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 82.07% 238 of 290

Fixed at the station 4.14% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 19,893 miles

Average age at test 20.09 years old

Engine 125cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Honda SES125 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm - it accounts for 32.5% of failed tests on this model.
Then check remains on when the brakes are released and not working, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has a serious fluid leak (10% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 19,893 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
16+ years	82.07%		290

Why the Honda SES125 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	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	32.5%	13
2	Remains on when the brakes are released	30%	12
3	Not working	27.5%	11
4	Has a serious fluid leak	25%	10
5	Has negligible damping effect	12.5%	5
6	Insecure	12.5%	5
7	Has insufficient reserve travel	10%	4
8	Missing	10%	4
9	The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25%	10%	4
10	Excessively binding	7.5%	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	Has a serious fluid leak	10%	29
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	9.3%	27
3	Has negligible damping effect	4.1%	12
4	Excessively binding	3.4%	10
5	Corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened	2.8%	8
6	Corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced	2.8%	8
7	Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied	2.8%	8
8	Excessively stiff or notchy	2.4%	7
9	Is so short that the brake cannot be readily applied	2.1%	6
10	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.1%	6

Honda SES125 for sale

No Honda SES125 in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda SES125 Used Honda All Honda Honda MOT statistics

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 SES125 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda SES125?+

82.07% of Honda SES125 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 290 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda SES125?+

Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, which appears in 32.5% 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.