Honda XR125L MOT pass rate and common failures

Honda XR125L motorcycles pass the MOT 72.38% of the time, measured across 362 tests in the DVSA record. A further 9.67% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 14.5 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 72.38% 262 of 362

Fixed at the station 9.67% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 21,306 miles

Average age at test 20.18 years old

Engine 124cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Honda XR125L adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 30.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working and not working on dipped beam, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is has a serious fluid leak (6.6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 21,306 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	72.38%		362

Why the Honda XR125L 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	30.8%	20
2	Not working	30.8%	20
3	Not working on dipped beam	20%	13
4	Too high	20%	13
5	Has a serious fluid leak	16.9%	11
6	Insecure	16.9%	11
7	Excessively binding	12.3%	8
8	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	10.8%	7
9	Projected beam image obviously incorrect	10.8%	7
10	Has excessive play	9.2%	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	Has a serious fluid leak	6.6%	24
2	Has excessive play	5.2%	19
3	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	5.2%	19
4	Worn to excess	5.2%	19
5	Excessively stiff or notchy	4.4%	16
6	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	4.1%	15
7	Excessively loose	3.6%	13
8	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.6%	13
9	Sprocket worn to excess	3.6%	13
10	Inscription illegible	3.3%	12

Honda XR125L for sale

No Honda XR125L in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.

Used Honda XR125L 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 XR125L MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda XR125L?+

72.38% of Honda XR125L MOT tests end in a pass, based on 362 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda XR125L?+

Missing, which appears in 30.8% 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.