The picture
Cbf 125 M-9: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 515 MOT tests, the Cbf 125 M-9 returns 72.4% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a binding brake. Brake pads worn below 1.0 mm and transmission belt, chain round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 21,875, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
16 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 02
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
13 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 03
A transmission belt, chain, sprocket or pulley excessively loose or worn
13 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 04
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
10 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 05
Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear
10 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 06
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
9 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 07
A transmission belt, chain, sprocket or pulley excessively loose or worn
9 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
8 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 09
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
7 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 10
A stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released
7 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£88–£195
If every one of this Cbf 125 M 9's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Cbf 125 M 9?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Cbf 125 M 9 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.