Yamaha YS 125 MOT pass rate and common failures
Yamaha YS 125 motorcycles pass the MOT 74.14% of the time, measured across 1,392 tests in the DVSA record. A further 11.21% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with too low - it accounts for 32.8% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm and excessively loose, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (9.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 12,227 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 | 75.24% | 513 | |
| 6-10 years | 73.49% | 879 |
Why the Yamaha YS 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 | Too low | 32.8% | 67 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 28.4% | 58 | |
| 3 | Excessively loose | 25.5% | 52 | |
| 4 | Not working | 18.6% | 38 | |
| 5 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 18.1% | 37 | |
| 6 | Excessively binding | 13.7% | 28 | |
| 7 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 12.7% | 26 | |
| 8 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 12.3% | 25 | |
| 9 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 9.8% | 20 | |
| 10 | Not working on dipped beam | 9.3% | 19 |
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 | 9.9% | 138 | |
| 2 | Excessively loose | 8.8% | 122 | |
| 3 | Worn to excess | 5.5% | 76 | |
| 4 | Excessively deformed | 3.8% | 53 | |
| 5 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 3.7% | 52 | |
| 6 | Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied | 3.2% | 45 | |
| 7 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 2.4% | 34 | |
| 8 | Bent so it cannot be readily operated | 2.2% | 31 | |
| 9 | Tread not clearly visible | 2.2% | 31 | |
| 10 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 2% | 28 |
Yamaha YS 125 for sale
1 Yamaha YS 125 adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 83 Yamaha in total.
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