Yamaha RD125
Real ownership data from 1,327 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | major | 19.4% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 11.3% |
| Other | major | 11.2% |
| Tyres | major | 8.5% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 6.4% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 5.9% |
| Chain and sprockets | major | 5.6% |
| Electrical | major | 4% |
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.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11 | 14,523 mi | 70 | 85% |
| 2020 | 22 | 17,376 mi | 302 | 93.22% |
| 2019 | 17 | 20,591 mi | 49 | 70.37% |
| 2018 | 15 | 17,026 mi | 208 | 92.59% |
| 2017 | 30 | 15,887 mi | 527 | 76.19% |
| 2016 | 24 | 13,694 mi | 253 | 75.36% |
| 2015 | 14 | 18,782 mi | 127 | 84.31% |
| 2014 | 11 | 13,281 mi | 80 | 81.82% |
| 2013 | 20 | 15,798 mi | 144 | 80% |
| 2012 | 15 | 23,249 mi | 47 | 85.33% |
| 2011 | 7 | 25,375 mi | 164 | 69.39% |
| 2010 | 5 | 2,770 mi | 1,449 | 94.12% |
| 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 | 21,412 mi | 450 | 69.81% |
| 1989 | 13 | 18,738 mi | 730 | 74.55% |
| 1988 | 29 | 22,453 mi | 224 | 78.46% |
| 1987 | 98 | 25,236 mi | 322 | 72.1% |
| 1986 | 157 | 22,867 mi | 240 | 74.4% |
RD125 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Yamaha RD125?
Across 1,327 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (19.4% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (11.3% of all recorded faults), other (11.2% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Yamaha RD125?
The median Yamaha RD125 in the UK has covered 19,978 miles, and typically rides about 244 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 12,842 and 27,762 miles.
Is the Yamaha RD125 reliable?
76.87% of Yamaha RD125 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.42 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,327 Yamaha RD125 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.