HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC-U

1584cc Petrol Class 2

#775 of 5426 overall #115 of 397 HARLEY-DAVIDSONs #145 of 465 cruiser bikes

90.6%

first-time pass rate

5.5%

failed outright

23,205

median miles at test

2,146

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The FLHTC-U's first-time pass rate has risen 7.5 points since 2006, 85.7% to 93.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage FLHTC-U passes first time 90.7% of the time; by 50k that's 85.0%.

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 FLHTC-U

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	51	23.4	0.4×
brakes	48	22	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	35	16.1	0.7×
steering and suspension	26	11.9	0.3×
tyres and wheels	15	6.9	0.4×
tyres	13	6	0.9×
reg plates and vin	13	6	0.8×
structure and attachments	6	2.8	0.2×
suspension	6	2.8	0.3×
steering	5	2.3	0.4×

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 FLHTC-U 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 FLHTC-U.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2006 (93.4% pass). Weakest: 1990 (83.3%).

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 FLHTC-U FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC-U reliable?

The HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC-U is more reliable than average for its class: 90.6% of its 2,146 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #775 of 5426 models.

What does a FLHTC-U fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 23% of all defects recorded against failed FLHTC-U tests.

What is the best year of FLHTC-U to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2006-registered examples do best (93.4%) and 1990 worst (83.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FLHTC-U last?

The median FLHTC-U shows 23,205 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 85.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.