Yamaha YZF 124cc MOT pass rate and common failures

Yamaha YZF 124cc motorcycles pass the MOT 66.47% of the time, measured across 2,881 tests in the DVSA record. A further 8.47% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Calculated from DVSA records for Yamaha YZF, 124-125cc.

Worse than average: 20.4 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 66.47% 1,915 of 2,881
Fixed at the station 8.47% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 21,679 miles
Average age at test 11.97 years old
Engine 140cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Yamaha YZF 124cc adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with missing - it accounts for 35.7% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check not working and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
  • Age matters here: 71.14% of 6-10 year old examples pass, against 61% at 16+ years - a gap of 10.1 points.
  • The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (19.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 21,679 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 71.14% 1,230
11-15 years 63.15% 1,384
16+ years 61% 259

Why the Yamaha YZF 124cc 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 Missing 35.7% 258
2 Not working 26.6% 192
3 Has a serious fluid leak 24% 173
4 Excessively loose 15% 108
5 Flashing more than 120 times a minute 11.9% 86
6 Insecure 11.8% 85
7 Less than 1.0 mm thick 11.8% 85
8 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 10.5% 76
9 Has excessive wear or free play 10.2% 74
10 Too high 9.7% 70

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 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 19.5% 562
2 Excessively loose 8.7% 250
3 Has a serious fluid leak 8.5% 246
4 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 7.9% 229
5 Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied 5.3% 153
6 Has excessive wear or free play 5.2% 150
7 Less than 1.0 mm thick 5.1% 148
8 Significantly and obviously worn 4.3% 124
9 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 4.2% 122
10 Worn to excess 4.1% 119

Yamaha YZF 124cc for sale

No Yamaha YZF 124cc in stock at the moment - 86 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
Yamaha YBR 125 · 124cc 3,496 69.54% 18,629

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Yamaha YZF 124cc MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Yamaha YZF 124cc?+
66.47% of Yamaha YZF 124cc MOT tests end in a pass, based on 2,881 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Yamaha YZF 124cc?+
Missing, which appears in 35.7% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Yamaha YZF 124cc get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 16+ years old the pass rate is 61%, against 71.14% 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.
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