Yamaha RD125
Real ownership data from 1,336 UK RD125 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common RD125 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Controls and cables | major | 11.3% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 8.5% |
| Electrical | major | 8.4% |
| Chain and sprockets | major | 8.2% |
| Brakes | major | 7.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 5% |
| Suspension | major | 4.9% |
| Other | major | 4.7% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is exhaust and emissions.
RD125 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11 | 14,523 mi | 70 | 85% |
| 2020 | 22 | 17,376 mi | 302 | 93.22% |
| 2019 | 16 | 20,635 mi | 49 | 69.23% |
| 2018 | 15 | 17,026 mi | 208 | 92.59% |
| 2017 | 30 | 15,887 mi | 527 | 76.19% |
| 2016 | 23 | 14,129 mi | 253 | 75% |
| 2015 | 14 | 18,782 mi | 127 | 84.31% |
| 2014 | 10 | 12,674 mi | 80 | 80% |
| 2013 | 20 | 15,798 mi | 144 | 79.01% |
| 2012 | 15 | 23,249 mi | 47 | 85.33% |
| 2011 | 7 | 25,375 mi | 164 | 69.39% |
| 2010 | 5 | 2,770 mi | 1,449 | 94.29% |
| 2009 | 12 | 17,223 mi | 974 | 81.13% |
| 2006 | 5 | 20,385 mi | 440 | 86.67% |
| 1991 | 6 | 21,079 mi | 197 | 78.57% |
| 1990 | 13 | 22,524 mi | 450 | 68.52% |
| 1989 | 14 | 19,131 mi | 730 | 75% |
| 1988 | 29 | 22,453 mi | 224 | 78.46% |
| 1987 | 98 | 25,236 mi | 320 | 72% |
| 1986 | 158 | 22,867 mi | 237 | 74.58% |
RD125 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha RD125?
Across 1,336 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are controls and cables (11.3% of all recorded faults), tyres (8.5% of all recorded faults), electrical (8.4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha RD125?
The median Yamaha RD125 in the UK has covered 20,003 miles, and typically rides about 239 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 12,834 and 27,767 miles.
Is the Yamaha RD125 reliable?
76.87% of Yamaha RD125 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.21 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,336 Yamaha RD125 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.