Piaggio VESPA LX 125 MOT pass rate and common failures

Piaggio VESPA LX 125 motorcycles pass the MOT 75.88% of the time, measured across 257 tests in the DVSA record. A further 8.95% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 11 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 75.88% 195 of 257
Fixed at the station 8.95% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 15,875 miles
Average age at test 15.48 years old
Engine 124cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Piaggio VESPA LX 125 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with not working on dipped beam - it accounts for 35.9% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm and missing, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 15,875 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 76.54% 162
16+ years 74.47% 94

Why the Piaggio VESPA LX 125 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 on dipped beam 35.9% 14
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 23.1% 9
3 Missing 17.9% 7
4 Has excessive wear or free play 15.4% 6
5 Not working 15.4% 6
6 Not working on main beam 15.4% 6
7 Has insufficient reserve travel 12.8% 5
8 Insecure 10.3% 4
9 Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) 7.7% 3
10 Has a major leak of exhaust gases 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 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 6.2% 16
2 Has excessive play 5.4% 14
3 Corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced 2.7% 7
4 Excessively stiff or notchy 2.7% 7
5 Has negligible damping effect 2.7% 7
6 Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied 2.7% 7
7 Has excessive wear or free play 1.9% 5
8 Inscription illegible 1.9% 5
9 Less than 1.0 mm thick 1.9% 5
10 Tread not clearly visible 1.9% 5

Piaggio VESPA LX 125 for sale

No Piaggio VESPA LX 125 in stock at the moment - 7 other Piaggio 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

Piaggio VESPA LX 125 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Piaggio VESPA LX 125?+
75.88% of Piaggio VESPA LX 125 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 257 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Piaggio VESPA LX 125?+
Not working on dipped beam, which appears in 35.9% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Piaggio VESPA LX 125 get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 74.47%, against 76.54% 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.
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