Yamaha SR125 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha SR125 motorcycles pass the MOT 74.77% of the time, measured across 440 tests in the DVSA record. A further 9.09% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 12.1 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 74.77% 329 of 440
Fixed at the station 9.09% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 19,976 miles
Average age at test 26.36 years old
Engine 124cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Yamaha SR125 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 25.4% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check missing and too high, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is has a serious fluid leak (5.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 19,976 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 74.77% 440

Why the Yamaha SR125 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 25.4% 18
2 Missing 23.9% 17
3 Too high 21.1% 15
4 Has a serious fluid leak 18.3% 13
5 Excessively loose 11.3% 8
6 Insecure 11.3% 8
7 Not working on dipped beam 11.3% 8
8 Too low 9.9% 7
9 Has a major leak of exhaust gases 8.5% 6
10 Not working on main beam 7% 5

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 5.5% 24
2 Has excessive play 5.2% 23
3 Excessively loose 4.8% 21
4 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 4.3% 19
5 Worn to excess 3.6% 16
6 Excessively binding 3.4% 15
7 Excessively stiff or notchy 3% 13
8 Less than 1.0 mm thick 3% 13
9 Has a major leak of exhaust gases 2.7% 12
10 Chain guard missing 2.5% 11

Yamaha SR125 for sale

No Yamaha SR125 in stock at the moment - 83 other Yamaha 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

Yamaha SR125 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha SR125?+
74.77% of Yamaha SR125 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 440 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha SR125?+
Not working, which appears in 25.4% 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.
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