Harley-davidson Xl MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 16,783 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 11.8%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Harley-davidson Xl MOT Reliability Overview
The Harley-davidson Xl is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 16,783 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 26 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.2% and a failure rate of 11.8%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Harley-davidson Xl earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Harley-davidson Xl presents for MOT with approximately 8,048 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2003 models achieve the highest pass rate at 95.1%, while 2005 models have the lowest at 65.2%. This 29.9 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Harley-davidson Xl is Motorcycle lamps and reflectors, affecting 8.8% of all tests. 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. The second most common issue is Motorcycle structure and attachments at 5.2%. Motorcycle brakes rounds out the top three at 2.8%. 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
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 3 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Harley-davidson Xl vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Harley-davidson Xl. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 10 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Harley-davidson Xl actually sees a 20% decrease in failure rate after the warranty period. This is likely due to survivorship bias — unreliable cars are already off the road by this age. Peak failure occurs at age 3 (13.8% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
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 Lamps And Reflectors | 8.8% | 1,485 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 5.2% | 873 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Brakes | 2.8% | 464 |
| 4 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 2.4% | 407 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Tyres | 1.4% | 234 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 1.4% | 228 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Suspension | 1.0% | 166 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.7% | 124 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 0.6% | 109 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 0.4% | 70 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 0.3% | 49 |
| 12 | Non-component Advisories | 0.3% | 43 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 0.2% | 33 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.2% | 27 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Drive System | 0.1% | 15 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 8,048 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 lamps and reflectors | 10.99 | 8.8% | 1,485 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 6.46 | 5.2% | 873 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 3.44 | 2.8% | 464 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 3.01 | 2.4% | 407 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 1.73 | 1.4% | 234 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 1.69 | 1.4% | 228 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 1.23 | 1.0% | 166 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.92 | 0.7% | 124 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.81 | 0.6% | 109 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.52 | 0.4% | 70 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 0.36 | 0.3% | 49 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.32 | 0.3% | 43 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 0.24 | 0.2% | 33 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.20 | 0.2% | 27 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.11 | 0.1% | 15 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Harley-davidson Xl has 8,048 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 Xl has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 14.66% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Harley-davidson Xl MOT Data
The Harley-davidson Xl is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 16,783 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 26 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.2% and a failure rate of 11.8%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Harley-davidson Xl owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lamps and reflectors and motorcycle structure and attachments 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 Xl is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 8.8% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 8.8% of MOT failures on the Harley-davidson Xl. 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 structure and attachments — 5.2% of failures
Motorcycle structure and attachments issues account for 5.2% of MOT failures on the Harley-davidson Xl. Motorcycle structure and attachments 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 brakes — 2.8% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 2.8% of MOT failures on the Harley-davidson Xl. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Harley-davidson Xl?
Based on 16,783 MOT tests in our database, the Harley-davidson Xl has an overall pass rate of 88.2% (11.8% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Harley-davidson Xl?
The top 3 reasons a Harley-davidson Xl fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (8.8%), 2. Motorcycle structure and attachments (5.2%), 3. Motorcycle brakes (2.8%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Harley-davidson Xl reliable?
With a 11.8% MOT failure rate, the Xl is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Harley-davidson Xl?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (8.8%); Motorcycle structure and attachments (5.2%); Motorcycle brakes (2.8%). 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.