HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOB

1690cc Petrol Class 2

#1748 of 5426 overall #296 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #349 of 465 cruiser bikes

87.5%

first-time pass rate

6.2%

failed outright

9,358

median miles at test

3,762

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2016–2025

The FAT BOB's first-time pass rate has risen 5.0 points since 2016, 84.4% to 89.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FAT BOB passes first time 88.9% of the time; by 40k that's 87.9%.

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 FAT BOB

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	168	45.8	2.3×
brakes	49	13.4	0.3×
tyres	26	7.1	0.9×
Identification of the vehicle	26	7.1	3.0×
suspension	24	6.5	0.8×
lighting and signalling	23	6.3	0.1×
structure and attachments	23	6.3	0.7×
steering	17	4.6	0.9×
audible warning (Horn)	6	1.6	0.9×
reg plates and vin	5	1.4	0.2×

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 FAT BOB beats 0 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 FAT BOB.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2016 (89.6% pass). Weakest: 2011 (80.2%).

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 FAT BOB FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOB reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOB is more reliable than average for its class: 87.5% of its 3,762 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1748 of 5426 models.

What does a FAT BOB fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 46% of all defects recorded against failed FAT BOB tests.

What is the best year of FAT BOB to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2016-registered examples do best (89.6%) and 2011 worst (80.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FAT BOB last?

The median FAT BOB shows 9,358 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 87.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.