Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Harley-Davidson FLH: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which FLH years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 89.5% average, from 1,942 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1997 (96.9% of 64 tests). Lowest: 1990 (75.0% of 56). Years more than two points below the model average: 1972, 1979, 1990.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (89.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 64 | 87.5% | -2.0 pp |
| 1971 | 139 | 93.5% | +4.0 pp |
| 1972 | 70 | 87.1% | -2.4 pp |
| 1975 | 98 | 92.9% | +3.4 pp |
| 1976 | 112 | 88.4% | -1.1 pp |
| 1977 | 124 | 92.7% | +3.2 pp |
| 1978 | 125 | 89.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 108 | 87.0% | -2.5 pp |
| 1980 | 113 | 90.3% | +0.8 pp |
| 1981 | 116 | 88.8% | -0.7 pp |
| 1990 | 56 | 75.0% | -14.5 pp |
| 1994 | 53 | 88.7% | -0.8 pp |
| 1995 | 66 | 90.9% | +1.4 pp |
| 1997 | 64 | 96.9% | +7.4 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which FLH years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1972, 1979, 1990 registered examples pass first time less often than the Harley-Davidson FLH overall (89.5%); the 1990 cohort is lowest at 75.0% from 56 tests.
- Which FLH year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1997, at 96.9% of 64 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1971, 1975, 1977, 1997.
- How much does the FLH pass rate vary by year?
- 21.9 percentage points between the highest (1997, 96.9%) and lowest (1990, 75.0%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Harley-Davidson FLH reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #1113 of 5428 models· other Harley-Davidson models: XLH 883, Flstf, Flstc, XL, XL1200C, XL883