Yamaha MT-125
Real ownership data from 10,221 UK MT-125 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common MT-125 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Chain and sprockets | major | 3.7% |
| Brakes | major | 3.5% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 0.6% |
| Other | dangerous | 0.3% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 0.3% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 0.2% |
| Tyres | fail | 0.2% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 10.5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is corrosion.
MT-125 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 377 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 682 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 773 | 5,879 mi | 5,218 | 80.95% |
| 2023 | 792 | 8,263 mi | 2,221 | 79.1% |
| 2022 | 529 | 8,036 mi | 1,796 | 77.17% |
| 2021 | 677 | 10,236 mi | 2,219 | 78.41% |
| 2020 | 553 | 11,428 mi | 2,097 | 76.76% |
| 2019 | 549 | 11,538 mi | 2,118 | 76.2% |
| 2018 | 769 | 12,694 mi | 1,914 | 74.46% |
| 2017 | 1,191 | 13,836 mi | 1,969 | 76.6% |
| 2016 | 1,301 | 14,340 mi | 1,928 | 72.17% |
| 2015 | 1,651 | 14,943 mi | 1,897 | 70.65% |
| 2014 | 377 | 16,716 mi | 1,828 | 74.44% |
MT-125 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha MT-125?
Across 10,221 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are chain and sprockets (3.7% of all recorded faults), brakes (3.5% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (0.6% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha MT-125?
The median Yamaha MT-125 in the UK has covered 12,543 miles, and typically rides about 1,960 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 6,874 and 19,920 miles.
Is the Yamaha MT-125 reliable?
73.92% of Yamaha MT-125 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 1.39 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 10,221 Yamaha MT-125 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.