Yamaha YBR125 MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha YBR125 motorcycles pass the MOT 69.35% of the time, measured across 1,550 tests in the DVSA record. A further 10.71% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 17.5 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 69.35% 1,075 of 1,550

Fixed at the station 10.71% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 18,182 miles

Average age at test 15.73 years old

Engine 124cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Yamaha YBR125 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 35.3% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working on dipped beam and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is excessively loose (6.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 18,182 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
6-10 years	67.65%	34
11-15 years	70.19%	852
16+ years	68.37%	664

Why the Yamaha YBR125 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	35.3%	109
2	Not working on dipped beam	18.4%	57
3	Has a serious fluid leak	16.8%	52
4	Too high	16.2%	50
5	Insecure	15.9%	49
6	Too low	12%	37
7	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	11.3%	35
8	Excessively loose	11%	34
9	Excessively binding	9.1%	28
10	Projected beam image obviously incorrect	8.7%	27

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 loose	6.9%	107
2	Has a serious fluid leak	6.5%	100
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	5.9%	92
4	Worn to excess	4.5%	70
5	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	3.5%	54
6	Excessively deformed	3.3%	51
7	Excessively stiff or notchy	3%	47
8	Sprocket worn to excess	3%	47
9	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	2.9%	45
10	Has excessive wear or free play	2.4%	37

Yamaha YBR125 for sale

No Yamaha YBR125 in stock at the moment - 83 other Yamaha bikes are advertised.

Used Yamaha YBR125 Used Yamaha All Yamaha Yamaha 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

Yamaha YBR125 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha YBR125?+

69.35% of Yamaha YBR125 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 1,550 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha YBR125?+

Not working, which appears in 35.3% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Yamaha YBR125 get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 16+ years old the pass rate is 68.37%, against 67.65% for examples 6-10 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.