HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLD

1690cc Petrol Class 2

#405 of 5426 overall #60 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #77 of 465 cruiser bikes

92.4%

first-time pass rate

3.2%

failed outright

13,178

median miles at test

602

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2017–2025

The FLD's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.4 points since 2017, 93.8% to 92.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLD passes first time 95.0% of the time; by 30k that's 83.9%.

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 FLD

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors	18	54.5	1.4×
brakes	7	21.2	0.2×
tyres	3	9.1	0.7×
structure and attachments	2	6.1	0.5×
lighting and signalling	1	3	—
Identification of the vehicle	1	3	0.7×
suspension	1	3	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 FLD beats 4 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 FLD.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2014 (96.7% pass). Weakest: 2015 (89.6%).

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 FLD FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLD reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLD is more reliable than average for its class: 92.4% of its 602 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #405 of 5426 models.

What does a FLD fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 55% of all defects recorded against failed FLD tests.

What is the best year of FLD to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2014-registered examples do best (96.7%) and 2016 worst (89.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLD last?

The median FLD shows 13,178 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 83.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.