SYM FIDDLE MOT pass rate and common failures

SYM FIDDLE motorcycles pass the MOT 78.72% of the time, measured across 282 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.61% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 8.2 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 78.72% 222 of 282

Fixed at the station 4.61% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 8,450 miles

Average age at test 7.82 years old

Engine 118cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 1,596 SYM FIDDLE 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 29.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check excessively binding and less than 1.0 mm thick, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (7.1% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 8,450 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	78.89%		90
6-10 years	78.75%		160

Why the SYM FIDDLE 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	29.8%	14
2	Excessively binding	21.3%	10
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	17%	8
4	Not working	17%	8
5	Insecure	14.9%	7
6	Too high	14.9%	7
7	Missing	12.8%	6
8	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	8.5%	4
9	Unable to be tested	8.5%	4
10	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	6.4%	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	7.1%	20
2	Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied	5.7%	16
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	5.7%	16
4	Excessively binding	5.3%	15
5	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	4.3%	12
6	Is so short that the brake cannot be readily applied	3.5%	10
7	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2.8%	8
8	Tread not clearly visible	2.1%	6
9	Corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced	1.8%	5
10	Excessively stiff or notchy	1.8%	5

SYM FIDDLE for sale

1,596 SYM FIDDLE adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 9,173 SYM in total.

Used SYM FIDDLE Used SYM All SYM SYM 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

SYM FIDDLE MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the SYM FIDDLE?+

78.72% of SYM FIDDLE MOT tests end in a pass, based on 282 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a SYM FIDDLE?+

Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, which appears in 29.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the SYM FIDDLE get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 78.75%, against 78.89% for examples 3-5 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.