Honda XL125V MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda XL125V motorcycles pass the MOT 71.61% of the time, measured across 708 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.63% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 15.3 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 71.61% 507 of 708

Fixed at the station 7.63% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 27,680 miles

Average age at test 19.59 years old

Engine 125cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Honda XL125V 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 34.7% of failed tests on this model.
Then check has a serious fluid leak and excessively binding, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is excessively binding (7.3% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 27,680 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
11-15 years	74.63%		67
16+ years	71.36%		639

Why the Honda XL125V 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	34.7%	51
2	Has a serious fluid leak	19%	28
3	Excessively binding	15.6%	23
4	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	10.9%	16
5	Projected beam image obviously incorrect	10.9%	16
6	Less than 1.0 mm thick	9.5%	14
7	Excessively loose	8.8%	13
8	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	8.8%	13
9	Worn to excess	8.8%	13
10	Too high	8.2%	12

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	Excessively binding	7.3%	52
2	Excessively loose	7.3%	52
3	Has a serious fluid leak	7.1%	50
4	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	5.1%	36
5	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.9%	35
6	Less than 1.0 mm thick	4.2%	30
7	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	4.2%	30
8	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	4.1%	29
9	Worn to excess	4.1%	29
10	Significantly and obviously worn	4%	28

Honda XL125V for sale

No Honda XL125V in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda XL125V 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 XL125V MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda XL125V?+

71.61% of Honda XL125V MOT tests end in a pass, based on 708 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda XL125V?+

Not working, which appears in 34.7% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Honda XL125V get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 71.36%, against 74.63% for examples 11-15 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.