Harley Davidson Fatboy MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,601 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 12.9%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Harley Davidson Fatboy MOT Reliability Overview
The Harley Davidson Fatboy is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,601 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 18 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 87.1% and a failure rate of 12.9%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Harley Davidson Fatboy earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Harley Davidson Fatboy presents for MOT with approximately 20,957 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 1999 models achieve the highest pass rate at 94.8%, while 2001 models have the lowest at 75.0%. This 19.8 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Harley Davidson Fatboy is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 6.6% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle lamps and reflectors at 4.2%. Motorcycle fuel and exhaust rounds out the top three at 3.4%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 7.1% | 114 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 4.2% | 67 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 3.5% | 56 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 3.4% | 54 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Brakes | 3.1% | 49 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 1.8% | 29 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 1.8% | 29 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Tyres | 1.2% | 20 |
| 9 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 1.1% | 18 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 1.1% | 18 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.6% | 10 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Suspension | 0.3% | 5 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.2% | 3 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Wheels | 0.1% | 2 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.1% | 2 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 20,957 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 3.40 | 7.1% | 114 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 2.00 | 4.2% | 67 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 1.67 | 3.5% | 56 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 1.61 | 3.4% | 54 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 1.46 | 3.1% | 49 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 0.86 | 1.8% | 29 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.86 | 1.8% | 29 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.60 | 1.2% | 20 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.54 | 1.1% | 18 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 0.54 | 1.1% | 18 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.30 | 0.6% | 10 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.15 | 0.3% | 5 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.09 | 0.2% | 3 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 0.06 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.06 | 0.1% | 2 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Harley Davidson Fatboy has 20,957 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Harley Davidson Fatboy has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.16% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Harley Davidson Fatboy MOT Data
The Harley Davidson Fatboy is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,601 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 18 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 87.1% and a failure rate of 12.9%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Harley Davidson Fatboy owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle lamps and reflectors for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Fatboy is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 6.6% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 6.6% of MOT failures on the Harley Davidson Fatboy. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 4.2% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 4.2% of MOT failures on the Harley Davidson Fatboy. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Motorcycle fuel and exhaust — 3.4% of failures
Motorcycle fuel and exhaust issues account for 3.4% of MOT failures on the Harley Davidson Fatboy. Motorcycle fuel and exhaust issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Harley Davidson Fatboy?
Based on 1,601 MOT tests in our database, the Harley Davidson Fatboy has an overall pass rate of 87.1% (12.9% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Harley Davidson Fatboy?
The top 3 reasons a Harley Davidson Fatboy fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (6.6%), 2. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (4.2%), 3. Motorcycle fuel and exhaust (3.4%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Harley Davidson Fatboy reliable?
With a 12.9% MOT failure rate, the Fatboy is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Harley Davidson Fatboy?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (6.6%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (4.2%); Motorcycle fuel and exhaust (3.4%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.