HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE

1340cc Petrol Class 2

#1332 of 5426 overall #216 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #260 of 465 cruiser bikes

88.8%

first-time pass rate

7.1%

failed outright

24,124

median miles at test

1,017

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The ELECTRA GLIDE's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (91.8% → 91.2%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the ELECTRA GLIDE's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ELECTRA GLIDE passes first time 88.1% of the time; by 50k that's 84.1%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a ELECTRA GLIDE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	50	35.5	0.7×
brakes	29	20.6	0.5×
steering and suspension	17	12.1	0.4×
reg plates and vin	13	9.2	1.7×
tyres and wheels	10	7.1	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	9	6.4	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	5	3.5	0.6×
Identification of the vehicle	3	2.1	0.9×
structure and attachments	3	2.1	0.3×
drive system	2	1.4	0.3×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the ELECTRA GLIDE beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF, HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C).

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 89.4% pass · 23.7k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C 88.4% pass · 15.7k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG 88.7% pass · 14.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the ELECTRA GLIDE.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1993 (92.3% pass). Weakest: 1991 (87.0%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE is more reliable than average for its class: 88.8% of its 1,017 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1332 of 5426 models.

What does a ELECTRA GLIDE fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 35% of all defects recorded against failed ELECTRA GLIDE tests.

What is the best year of ELECTRA GLIDE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (92.3%) and 1991 worst (87.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ELECTRA GLIDE last?

The median ELECTRA GLIDE shows 24,124 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 84.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.