HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR

1450cc Petrol Class 2

#704 of 5426 overall #103 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #129 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.9%

first-time pass rate

4.4%

failed outright

20,211

median miles at test

11.4k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The FLHR's first-time pass rate has risen 2.1 points since 2005, 90.1% to 92.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLHR passes first time 92.9% of the time; by 50k that's 88.7%.

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 FLHR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	235	28.9	0.4×
lighting and signalling	144	17.7	0.2×
lamps and reflectors	97	11.9	0.4×
reg plates and vin	89	10.9	1.1×
tyres and wheels	79	9.7	0.3×
steering and suspension	51	6.3	0.1×
tyres	35	4.3	0.4×
Identification of the vehicle	33	4.1	1.3×
fuel and exhaust	26	3.2	0.3×
suspension	25	3.1	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 FLHR 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 FLHR.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2015 (95.2% pass). Weakest: 2007 (87.6%).

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 FLHR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR is more reliable than average for its class: 90.9% of its 11,373 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #704 of 5426 models.

What does a FLHR fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed FLHR tests.

What is the best year of FLHR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2015-registered examples do best (95.2%) and 2007 worst (87.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLHR last?

The median FLHR shows 20,211 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 88.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.