HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLH

1207cc Petrol Class 2

#1111 of 5426 overall #178 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #216 of 465 cruiser bikes

89.5%

first-time pass rate

4.5%

failed outright

17,412

median miles at test

1,894

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2023

The FLH's first-time pass rate has risen 1.4 points since 2006, 87.8% to 89.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLH passes first time 89.5% of the time; by 50k that's 82.4%.

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 FLH

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	65	32.7	0.6×
brakes	45	22.6	0.4×
steering and suspension	23	11.6	0.3×
reg plates and vin	15	7.5	1.2×
tyres and wheels	13	6.5	0.3×
lamps and reflectors	11	5.5	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	9	4.5	0.6×
driving controls	7	3.5	1.6×
drive system	6	3	0.4×
Identification of the vehicle	5	2.5	1.1×

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 FLH beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE, TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883).

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 89.0% pass · 195k tests TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 87.8% pass · 56.3k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 883 87.4% pass · 41.2k tests HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTF 88.9% pass · 30.1k 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 FLH.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (96.9% pass). Weakest: 1990 (75.0%).

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 FLH FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLH reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLH is more reliable than average for its class: 89.5% of its 1,894 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1111 of 5426 models.

What does a FLH fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed FLH tests.

What is the best year of FLH to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (96.9%) and 1990 worst (75.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLH last?

The median FLH shows 17,412 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 82.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.